Fetzen
op2024
princess
Noctis
wintersoldier
CitrusArms
Potter
FourtyTwo
Conscripts
PapaOso
Dates: November 9th - December 6th
A light breeze twirled about the Countess as she rested in the courtyard, her eyes skimming blindly across the page of the book she held. She had selected a generic historical text detailing the public history of the House of Eve, however the pages hadn’t been turned in some time despite her ever shifting irises. Amaris eventually gave up on trying to read the text and folded the book closed, turning her torso to tuck the object away in her bag. Before she had finished retrieving her hand from the depths of her bag, Amaris’ eyes fell upon the zipped inner pocket. Slowly, the Countess unzipped the pouch and withdrew the playing card contained within.
The face illuminated by the surrounding lanterns was still as blank as it had been the past several times she had withdrawn the thing. She could still picture the look of excitement on the mage’s face as the secrets of the gift were revealed. Every so often, when she was sure Maddie wasn’t around, Amaris still found herself setting the card alight just to see the design again… or perhaps it might have been something more than that. She couldn’t help but to run her thumb along the space that Cassandra’s name was meant to occupy. As she continued to stare at the empty, white space the Countess found herself suddenly overcome by a bout of anger.
Amaris snatched her bag up from the ground with her free hand before departing the sitting area at a quick pace. Her visage was soured by the scowl that she wore as she marched her way down the path, earning her a wider berth than usual from the occasional passerby student. The Countess’ thoughts were riddled by the various possibilities of how the night of the Revel could have gone but ultimately weighed down by the reality that there wasn’t anything she would have been able to change. Even if she had been by Cassandra’s side when she was attacked, Amaris lacked the fighting prowess to defend against such a threat. That much had been proven during their introduction to the Arena, a lesson that saw her lose to the likes of a movie star of all people. If she couldn’t even get the upper hand on Eris there was little hope for surviving an encounter against a forced frenzy.
Slowing to a halt, Amaris glanced off to the side to gather her bearings after travelling without direction in mind. She was somewhat surprised to find that her funk had delivered her straight to the front door of the Arena. Until now there had been little reason for her to enter unless necessary for class, however, now she found herself hesitating from walking away. The recent examination had forced her to face her own limitations and had highlighted flaws she would have preferred to ignore. Perhaps her coming to such a place was a sign from her subconscious telling her that she had a choice to make. She could either continue to pass blame off onto others or she could guarantee that she wouldn’t be caught by surprise again. Deciding that she could at least try observing those more experienced than herself, Amaris tucked the card back into its pouch and made for the entrance.
The worn sands of the arena floor was always a comfort to him. A comfort brought to him by knowing most instances of combat were for training and not survival. The count felt very comfortable wearing only his loose training pants, with the rest of his clothes stacked neatly on the side lines. Bearing all his scars to the few that lingered in the dusty arena. Only a few people lingered to witness them though, most were on their way out.
Victor liked coming here at this time, it seemed most other students did not enjoy fighting like he did. It was in the simpler moments like these that he truly felt at peace here, knowing Salem was enjoying his free time somewhere away from him. Standing tall in the middle of the earthen square, the large brute of a vampire began to slowly move through all of his stretches and warm up moves. Making it a point to breath and strain every muscle with each fluid movement. He wasn't fighting some imaginary foe twice his size or many enemies at the same time it was actually rather slow and almost looked like a strange sort of dance.
The subtle creek of the arena doors opening slightly drew his attention for a moment, the thought of someone trying to find him because of one of Salem's blunders flashed through his mind. Instead he was met with a familiar sight, the Marivaldi Countess was standing there looking quite flustered or perhaps angry. Victor made eye contact with her for a moment, yet strangely he found himself looking away almost as if he was ashamed. That Vampire at the Revel had done a lot of damage. It was only after that he learned that he was not able to stop her before Cassandra was also attacked.
Amaris hesitated by the door as she matched eyes with the Count across the room. It didn’t take very long for her to place his face, especially when they were standing in the same space as where he had been buried for rough handling of a mage. Yet, even as she stood staring at him, Victor’s eyes fell away to find something else, anything else, to look at. For as much as she considered walking away to return at a different time, the way his eyes shifted away had sparked a curiosity in the Countess that drew her to stay.
Calmly closing the door Amaris composed herself before making her way around the outskirts of the room, her eyes fixed on the Astorio as she took each step closer. Despite time spent in the arena with the man for class she had never really paid the man much attention, seemingly content in keeping as much distance with him as she did with Varis. As she drew closer she began to notice a strange discoloration in Victor’s skin that could only be described as scars. She couldn’t help but to dwell on them, finding it difficult to tear her eyes away as they were a rare sight for her to behold.
“Apologies for the distraction, Count Victor. I had not anticipated my arrival to be so… noticeable.” Amaris worked to keep her voice measured as she spoke in spite of the scattered state of her thoughts. The Countess turned slightly to view the rest of the arena, finding the space to feel far emptier than it had during their class lectures.
“I can’t help but notice how quiet it is at the moment, have I come at a bad time?” She probed curiously, still looking around in an effort not to look directly at the Count.
So she was here for him, how strange it didn't seem like she was at all too interested in him until now. Victor relaxed his posture to turn to her and clasp his hands behind him, “it's quite alright, most of the others are leaving and the arena master is doing paperwork in his office.” he gestured toward the large mage’s office, otherwise he did not seem to be lying. “The distraction is fine. Better you than someone trying to find me to go deal with one of Salem's…” pausing for a moment to think of a good word, “Blunders… is there something I can help you with?” keeping his inquisitive posture while waiting for an answer.
She didn’t know why but Amaris found herself stifling a reflexive laugh at Victor’s statement concerning the boy she assumed was his partner. The thought that a mage paired to an Astorio was even capable of committing whatever slights constituted a ‘blunder’ and not end up chained to his vampire’s side was somewhat surprising to her. Still, it was enough to draw the Countess’ gaze back to the Count who stood patiently, awaiting her response.
“I see. Well, I had come in the hopes of observing a sparring match or two but it seems my knack for timing is about as advanced as my skill for combat.” The Countess shrugged as if to play off her mistake but she was unsuccessful in completely hiding the sound of disappointment in her voice. Amaris could feel some of her earlier rage fade as her eyes dropped back down to the ground. She considered excusing herself to try again another time, but something pulled at her to stay. While the Countess didn’t know a whole lot about Victor, she was at least aware of his contributions to the Revel incident. There was no way for her to know what sort of a reaction she might get from the man for even asking, or her own family should they find out, but Amaris found that she couldn’t just waste the opportunity standing before her.
“Perhaps you would allow me to trouble you for some advice instead? If you’re not too busy of course.”
Tilting his head ever so slightly in curiosity. Not once had the countess been interested in training done at the arena before, she always seemed to him to be either inexperienced or have some distaste for violence in general. To have her come here during what is their free time and not to go off somewhere to read or study was very curious indeed. On top of that she actually was interested in training for once. Perhaps coming to him alone she was trying to save face secret meetings and all, but more likely she was embarrassed by her skill.
It did not take him much to think over her request and slowly sit down with his legs crossed in front of him looking up at her. After all, Victor was well aware that he was a bit intimidating while standing. “Oh not at all I can always train at a later date, what exactly are you interested in or you think i can help you with?”
There was a small sense of relief that washed over the Countess as Victor lowered himself to the ground, though she couldn’t be certain if it had more to do with him no longer towering over her or simply his acceptance of her request. Amaris took a moment to consider her response carefully though. Learning to fight properly would only serve to benefit her and had been encouraged at the very least for her own protection, yet she had never considered that she might want or need to share that protection with someone else.
She knew she could lie about her intentions, as he wouldn’t ever know the difference, but what good would it do her? It wasn’t as if her stance on mage treatment was any sort of secret. Finding out she wanted the ability to better protect her mage partner would likely come as no surprise to, well, anyone. And while there was no real reason to tell the full truth either, Amaris considered the snark Victor could have met her with instead of hearing her out. Had she run into Varis instead, he would have ordered a podium on which to stand while his condescension drove her into the ground. Slowly, the Countess knelt down and folded her legs beneath her with her hands resting softly on the tops of her thighs.
“The news broadcast. That was how I learned that some woman had attacked and taken Cassandra away from me. And I keep playing that night over and over in my head searching for some detail that I could have done differently, but do you know what conclusion I’ve reached with every scenario? I lose. Every time, I lose.” Amaris could feel some of the lost heat returning, her fingers curling into closed fists in her lap as her eyes grew sharp with frustration.
“I’m all speed and textbook theory. What I need, what I’m lacking, is the strength and experience to back it up. The only problem is that I have absolutely no idea where to start.” The Countess looked up cautiously as she fell silent. So far everything was going unexpectedly well, and yet, she couldn’t help but to worry about the proverbial ‘other shoe’.
Listening intently, the friendly small smile faded to a sirius look as she continued to speak about the news and what had transpired. Again he found himself looking away from her, his eyes slowly drifting away from eye contact and to the arena floor in front of the countess. When she finished talking she wasn't met with a smile or a joke, she would not find him dismissing her or thinking she was a lost cause.
No, he simply got up and walked up to her. Checking his surroundings to make sure they were alone he didn't want to get caught up in rumors again. Victor knelt down onto his knees in front of where she was sitting seemingly not caring about being in her personal space. The count was well aware that he did not know her and owed her nothing, yet he still took the chance and let his guard down to open up to her in his own way. He embraced her in a hug without a care in the world of how awkward it might make her feel.
After a few moments he spoke with a soft and caring tone one would definitely not expect from the normally rough and stoic Astorio’s. “I’m sorry.” a slight pause between his words, “I know what it's like to lose a mage, especially one you were close to and knowing no matter how fast or strong you are it wouldn't have been enough to save them.” another pause as he released her from his grasp and simply stayed knelt in front of her, “Cassandra was one of the good ones and I'm sorry I could not get her faster. At least you can rest a little easier knowing that that vampire won't be bothering anyone ever again.”
The Countess grew wary as Victor rose and approached her where she knelt. Before she could comprehend what was happening, the man’s arms wrapped around her torso. For a brief moment panic set in and left the girl wondering just how brash he had to be to consider attacking a fellow noble on royal property. The feeling was quick to pass, however, as Amaris realized that what was happening was actually a hug. Still, she had no idea how to begin processing such an occurrence. Nothing was right about the situation, at all. Her eyes darted about the space to see if anyone else was witnessing what she was experiencing, but the arena had already completely emptied. Amaris had remained frozen in her confusion even as Victor released her, the Countess now staring somewhat wide-eyed at the man kneeling across from her.
“I-um, thank you.” She stammered as she attempted to collect her thoughts. Between his embrace and his words, Victor had successfully silenced the Countess with pure shock. What she knew to be true of the Astorios as a family, what she had witnessed right there in the same arena, couldn’t be reconciled with the words he had spoken. Victor had spoken as if he actually understood what she felt and not just empty words of comfort. A man who she thought was supposed to rival Varis in mage humiliation and cruelty was comforting her? Amaris had to snap herself out of her stupor when she realized that she had been staring at him in silence for nearly a minute.
“I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be rude. I guess I was just not aware there were any Astorios that bonded with their mages that deeply. Do you mind if I ask what happened to yours?” Whatever had happened, whoever they had been, it was clear from how Victor spoke that it had some degree of impact on him. While another might have seen it as an opportunity to extract weakness from a rival, Amaris found herself genuinely intrigued by it all. Perhaps he wasn’t as evil as she had originally thought.
Amaris responded to his gesture as well as he had hopped. She didn't outright attack him for it and it seemed like he had absolutely surprised her with it. Sometimes he does forget that he is an Astorio and they do have a reputation. The small smile he had again faded while she spoke. Her words seemed to be the real thing and he didn't think the countess would be pressuring him for information but he could still use it as a motivator of sorts knowing their reputation and treatment towards mages.
“It's not a problem, although i am strict as long as a mage is willing to work with me and put forth the effort. I don't normally have an issue with them, but I don't tolerate laziness or cowardice. Failure is acceptable if they learn from it.” continuing to remain knelt down across from her his hands grasped together in his lap. The muscles in his face moved while he grinded his teeth slightly, he was thinking about what she asked and how to answer.
“Hmm.” followed by a sigh before he continued, “how about a deal, I’ll tell you my mages name and once you beat me in combat I’ll tell you how she died. That does mean that I will be training you and if you would like, your mage too.” he brushed his pants off for a moment and stood up taking a few steps back to where he was before. “I already have my mage Salem on a training schedule and with the permission of Count Eve Salem is also training Lilly. I train Salem, he trains Lilly, it helps to teach him leadership. We don't spar unless we are here. It's mostly weight and endurance training mixed in with form and muscle memory as well as two hours of sunlight a day for mages. If you like i can train you away from the eyes of the other mages or you can train with them. I don't really care.” he was being completely serious with her, Victor was never one for nonsense.
Amaris took a moment to consider Victor’s offer carefully. Nothing he had said or done thus far suggested any form of deceit or malice. While it was entirely possible he was underselling the level of his ‘strictness’ with his mages for her sake, Amaris found that his current actions seemed to back up his words for the time being. He seemed more than comfortable including her into his already established training regiment and had even extended the offer to her own mage as he had done for the Count Eve.
“These terms sound fair to me.” Pushing herself back up onto her feet, Amaris lightly brushed the dirt from the front of her legs. “I’ll be sure to extend your courtesy to Maddie when I get the opportunity. But are you certain I won’t be a distraction to Salem or Lilie?” Even before Cassandra’s departure, Amaris had noticed the distance Lilie had put between her and the Countess. She had yet to find understanding in the mage’s actions but had done her best to respect the wishes of Cassandra’s friend. While she didn’t mind training with the other mages, if she was going to be little more than a distraction to the others involved, she would reconsider training one on one with Victor.
She seemed rather okay with his offer, giving her a nod he continued. “You're not going to like me very much, I'm going to make you work and you're going to have to do a lot of simple things at first. both to increase your strength but also your muscle memory and agility.” again he fell silent looking her over and slowly walking in a circle around her. “I will not have Salem teach you, I will. Although I do trust he would do a good job, I do not need him to have that much of a confidence boost. He gets in enough trouble as it is.”
Continuing to walk around her and talk to her observing things like her posture, how she held herself while being examined, and of course just her looks. “Although I may pull Salem aside to correct him on what he is doing, you can join the others on their endurance training if you wish. So if you would like we can go over some of the basics now or in the evening tomorrow i'll leave that up to you.” Victor slowly came to a stop in front of her again and sighed, “and her name was Sara.”
Amaris did her best to focus on Victor’s words as he made his way in a circle around her. Any uncertainty she held of herself was suddenly tenfold as she could feel his eyes studying her, passing silent judgement with every moment. Instead she tried to think about what trouble the aforementioned Salem was getting himself into that caused Victor to speak of him so. There was nothing so outrageous that it had met her ears, though she figured she might not have recognized him even if it had. After all, she did have her own troubles to deal with starting early on.
As he came to a stop and left her a choice, the Countess cast her eyes down to her outfit of the night. It was a mostly black ensemble consisting of a form fitting, long sleeved shirt and equally tight leggings, which were mostly covered by her striped, wrap around skirt. At first glance, Amaris’ selection was likely far from what was normally considered acceptable for the activity at hand, however the fabrics were light and flexible enough that she could make due for the moment. She would have to remember to pack something better suited in the future, but the present only required that she kick off her boots.
“Why wait, I’m already here right? You’ll have to excuse my footwear though.” She responded sheepishly as she removed the hazards from her feet. “So Sara, huh? A lovely name.”
The large vampire didn't respond to her mention of Sara. Instead he squared up a few feet in front of her placing his left foot forward, letting his weight rest on his right leg, shoulders and hips turned so that his left side was facing her creating a smaller target. “As you wish. This will allow me to figure out where to start with you.” bringing up his arms and bending his elbows so they formed a sort of small shield. His large hands were open but not stiff, obviously meant to grab and grapple rather than strike. “Yes, she was.”
With that one acknowledgement to what Amaris had said about Sara he struck at her quickly with his left hand. Victor wasn't trying to hit her but he did use all of his speed to plant the shot right next to her head. He didn't much care how she reacted only that she did, he was trying to see how quick her reflexes were and if she would respond by trying to dodge, get out of the way, attack him, or freeze. Any reaction would tell him what he wanted to know.
Amaris had assumed a similar stance to her counterpart, with her left leg forward and her arms up in a defensive stance. Unlike the Count, however, her torso was not nearly as angled and her fingers had curled into what might have passed for a fist. There was a subtle shift in the Countess’ demeanor as she readied herself for whatever assessment Victor thought to administer. While her curiosity was driving her to learn more about the mage that somehow paved a way for this very interaction, Amaris knew better than to let her guard down at this stage. Now was the time for study, something that was clearly reflected in her sharpened focus.
She had been prepared for him to move, but somehow found herself unprepared for how. While not quite sure why, Amaris had expected the strike from his other hand as he stepped toward her. Seeing as neither of those expectations were met, the Countess was left with little room to react as Victor’s hand approached the area beside her head. Amaris knew that it was unlikely he would strike her for real right off the bat, but her uncertainty worked somewhat against her. Wanting to at least do something, Amaris threw her right arm up to create a barrier between his arm and her face. Had he been aiming directly for her face, the move should have shifted the blow to somewhere above her shoulder instead… Unfortunately for her, though, Amaris only succeeded in meeting his arm with the outside of her own at its intended target. The Countess was proud of herself for resisting the initial urge to flinch at Victor’s strike, yet she was faced with an equally awkward reaction in its stead.
Amaris stared at the spot where her arm had unnecessarily collided with his, wide, unblinking eyes tracking back to Victor’s face as if she would find some kind of hidden instruction written on his forehead somewhere. Was she expected to counter? Was there a right way to counter from where she stood? She thought a kick to his, now seemingly unguarded, side might have been a viable option but her racing mind only served to paralyze her body. Every question that popped into her head could be seen clear as night on the full moon. Even after having boasted a knowledge on combat theory, Amaris had been tripped up by one failed expectation and, as a result, delivered the world’s most pathetic attempt at a block.
“I’ve already done it wrong, haven’t I?”
He didn't flinch or move to defend himself, although attacking him was an option the way she went about it made him think it was more of an accident then anything. Stepping back into a relaxed posture the count bit his lip. “You think too much. You need muscle memory and a technique to fall back on when all else fails.” tipping his head from side to side for a moment, “but you still tried to block, it's better than doing nothing I suppose… so how about footwork then?” he shrugged and resumed his fighting position this time keeping his left leg forward from his body but his foot still firmly on the ground.
“I'm quite aware that you are very analytical and you more than likely have a lot of book smarts. By knowing that I know that you're coming into this or other fights with a plan right?” he asked. It was a rhetorical question he knew the answer. Slowly stepping forward towards her then around her in a circle to watch how she changed her footing. “I can tell you this right now, everyone, human or vampire thinks they have a plan until they get punched in the face.”
With that last bit of information he came at her, keeping his guard up and trying to step on her feet to make her lose balance and push her over. If she was able to dodge these attacks and he was sure she would. Victor then swung his right leg out and twisted almost to the floor sweeping his leg around to attempt to trip the countess.
Muscle memory and a technique to fall back on… Amaris agreed with the first half, and yet the second seemed to clash with Victor’s analysis of her. He was right in that she was more analytical than practiced and that already put her at a disadvantage. That disadvantage was then compounded by the fact that he knew this and could prepare for her tactical decisions and target her lack of experience. So how would having a technique to fall back change the scenario she was in? The Countess sighed, but kept her question to herself for the time being. It was likely such questions would be answered in time so it was best to stay focused in the moment than to argue with the instructor.
Amaris kept a wary eye on every move Victor made. Every step he took was matched with a readjustment from her. Knowing how quickly she could lose control of the situation, she wanted to keep him in front of her as best as she could. Without lifting her feet from the ground, the Countess shuffled her stance with partial pivots and half steps back. She maintained contact with the sand beneath her feet at all times, prepared to move at a moment’s notice, but the motion was more that of a dancer than of a fighter.
As the pair moved, Amaris listened to the Count and considered his words carefully. What was the difference in having a plan over having a strategy? What good was technique and forms if plans were all but useless in practice. Her mind began wandering down the rabbit hole of twisted and confused logics, just trying to make sense of something. If plans failed and a strike was imminent, what more was she expected to do? React.
A flash of movement registered in the corner of her eye as something moved quickly at her feet. In the void that was left behind by a broken train of thought, Amaris defaulted to the one physical thing she had any practice in; acrobatics. While the sudden steps at her toes had succeeded in throwing her off balance, but rather than falling, she ended up pushing her weight into what could only have been described as a cartwheel. Victor wasn’t yet done with her though, following up his initial disruption with some sort of leg sweep as she was exiting her maneuver. Just wanting to put some distance between her and him, Amaris threw her momentum backward in a panicked back handspring before returning to her defensive stance.
By this point, her frustration on the topic had grown. Even in practice she still didn’t quite get what it was that Victor was talking about. “How is one supposed to have strategies or techniques to fall back on if you can’t plan for any of… this?” She asked while making a vague motion to the space around them.
Watching carefully, Victor continued to watch her. He was paying attention to every slight detail, his words throwing her off, his movements catching her barley off guard, the tension in her muscles, what she was looking at, and most importantly how she responded. The way she responded did surprise him slightly, he honestly wasn't expecting her to have too much skill in acrobatics but at least it was a start. This he could definitely work with.
When the two came to a stop, he let her speak her mind but gave her a quiet moment to think before continuing. “You have a base strategy when summarizing a fight. What are the current conditions? Is it cold and wet or dry and warm? Who or what are you going up against? Is there any chance of collateral damage you need to worry about? Do you need to be deceitful and keep an ace up your sleeve? How many things are trying to attack you? What kind of weapons or magic do they have?” Victor paused for a moment and crossed his arms.
“All these and more would sum up your strategy. Perhaps stealth is the best option, maybe there is no risk of collateral damage and you can go all out without worrying about bystanders, can you run from the fight and avoid it all together, possibly even lure them into a trap?” rolling his neck from side to side cracking the joints in his neck. “Strategy is how you approach an issue, technique is how you deal with it. In the heat of battle sometimes your opponent or opponents can make split second decisions that you were not expecting. In these cases you need to trust your body, trust your instincts, trust your technique.”
Victor moved away from her to the edge of the fighting pit then turned to face Amaris. “The acrobatics are a good step and a good place to start from. However, you need to learn to trust yourself and your body without your mind getting in the way. With that and really just practice you could very well be a capable fighter in time.” with a smile he clasped his hands together and put them behind his back. “So the next step is how you strike and how hard you can hit. I will not stop you or move, I simply want you to hit me in the chest with your best shot.”
“I see… Until now, I suppose I had been thinking about combat as more chess-like with flushed out tactics and optimal counters. But with what you describe to me, it sounds more like a dance with improvised choreography and whose tempo is at the mercy of the musician.” The Countess mused to herself as Victor reset himself for the next portion of the ‘evaluation’. Rather than continuing to dodge or counter, as she had been, she would be the one dealing the blows; or attempting to anyway. She couldn’t help but feel just the slightest bit insulted by the fact that she was being directed to swing her best shot directly at her instructor’s chest. Realistically, she knew that her inexperience alone was enough to ensure Victor’s safety through the next step, however, it still stung to know that there was zero concern of her cracking one of his ribs.
Exhaling slowly, Amaris relieved herself of some of the fog that had built up in her mind and refocused on the task at hand. Victor had moved away from her while he had been talking so she took a few steps to close some of the distance before taking up her stance once again. Now that she had some time to really observe her ‘opponent’, Amaris noted that striking at Victor would be comparable to striking at a brick wall. As a vampire, she was already built sturdier than the average mortal but when compared to a man built and trained for combat, Amaris might as well have been one of the mages he was training. She figured striking with a closed fist put her more at risk for injuring herself during the exercise so she decided on striking his chest with her palm instead. With her eyes locked onto their target point, Amaris finally shifted the weight of her left foot forward and struck out at the man with her right hand. It was her intent to strike him with the lower portion of her hand where her palm was at its densest and twist her torso into the strike in the hopes that her weight might make some difference to its strength.
He could tell she was thinking about the best way to strike while she set herself up. At the very least she was very much aware of how the strikes, “why do you think i enjoyed dancing with Cassandra so much.” he said with a smile. She was the reason he was in this situation in the first place. If it wasn't for her and their brief interaction the countess would likely never have talked to him.
The strike was rather well placed and she did put her weight with her own speed into the strike. His torso moved and his limbs seemed to follow as she sent him to the ground. It didn't make him tumble but definitely sent him to the ground. Victor was still on the ground for a moment before he ran his hands over where she hit him. “That was a good shot, definitely bruised. No cracked or broken ribs, would probably be enough to crack the ribs of others.” he sat up and slowly began to stand. “But your form was off and it almost seemed like you chose your strike while you were swinging. Your arm could have been positioned better and your follow through was a bit off but we will work on it.”
Shock overtook Amaris’ face as she stared down at the Count. The last thing she had expected was to have actually knocked the man over, although she figured Victor had shared that sentiment prior to her strike thus leading to the current position. Amaris shifted her gaze between the fallen Victor and her hand while he assessed his condition and reported back his thoughts. Despite the fact that she had just been doing as she was instructed, the Countess knew that she would have felt at least a little bad if he had sustained anything worse than some bruising. Still, she couldn’t help but feel excitement for the small amount of praise she did receive for her efforts, her small success more than enough to buffer the criticism she knew was to come.
“There’s certainly a lot to be worked on. I wasn’t expecting there to be so much reconditioning to do on a mental level but I’m kind of looking forward to the challenge. So what else do y-” Amaris had started to ask but found herself distracted by the presence of another. In her enthusiasm for the exercise, the Countess had forgotten all about the Arena Master who proceeded over their regular training. She hadn’t expected him to pay them any mind but the aura the man gave off was on par with even Princess Nox.
“A’ight, listen here you two. Dust yourselves off and get out of my arena. Couple of fire mages got the next time slot so can’t have y’all out here in crispin’s range.” He barked at the pair with all the softness of a cactus. If there was anything Amaris knew about the man, it was that his word was law when it came to the arena. She might have been disappointed but it beat spending time in some underground tomb for disobeying.
“That’s unfortunate, although I guess it does give me an opportunity to reflect on what you’ve taught me so far. Oh, would it be possible for me to get a copy of your training schedule?” Amaris asked as she began gathering her belongings to leave.
The count was quite content on watching the countess and her reactions. It almost seemed like she had never struck anyone like that before, that look of wonder and awe at the realization of one's own power was hard to miss. However, his attention on her would explain why the voice of the arena master caught him off guard. Honestly Victor wasn't paying attention to the time. A simple mistake he thought while moving to gather his things.
“Training schedule? Hmm.” he spoke while putting his clothes back on. “For Salem I require him to spend at least 2 hours a day in the sun. however he accomplishes this, i leave up to him. Other than that it's one hour after and before the sun sets and rises. With two days of the week chosen randomly but never back to back to be used as rest or meditation days. So go ahead and stop by whenever you get the chance.” the large vampire waited for her at the door for a moment. “Just don't expect me to go easy on you anymore. From here on it will be a challenge.”
“I’d expect nothing less. It might take me a few days to acquire some clothes more appropriate for the activity but I can assure that you’ll be seeing me soon.” She hesitated as she turned to take her leave, glancing back at Victor with a serious expression. “If at all possible, I would appreciate it if we could keep this arrangement as private as possible for the time being. Unnecessary distractions and all that.” Amaris added before dashing off, leaving Victor behind to make his own exit.
Victor nodded towards her with a smile, “that's no problem for me, i'll let Salem know we may have more newcomers. I’m sure he will be excited.” the duo seemed to part ways after that. He was heading towards his dorm now that little interaction was definitely something he was sure he would have fun training with someone who could handle being tossed around a bit more than salem. “What an interesting day for my birthday.” he whispered while walking slowly back toward his dorm, taking a swig from his flask as he walked.
The face illuminated by the surrounding lanterns was still as blank as it had been the past several times she had withdrawn the thing. She could still picture the look of excitement on the mage’s face as the secrets of the gift were revealed. Every so often, when she was sure Maddie wasn’t around, Amaris still found herself setting the card alight just to see the design again… or perhaps it might have been something more than that. She couldn’t help but to run her thumb along the space that Cassandra’s name was meant to occupy. As she continued to stare at the empty, white space the Countess found herself suddenly overcome by a bout of anger.
Amaris snatched her bag up from the ground with her free hand before departing the sitting area at a quick pace. Her visage was soured by the scowl that she wore as she marched her way down the path, earning her a wider berth than usual from the occasional passerby student. The Countess’ thoughts were riddled by the various possibilities of how the night of the Revel could have gone but ultimately weighed down by the reality that there wasn’t anything she would have been able to change. Even if she had been by Cassandra’s side when she was attacked, Amaris lacked the fighting prowess to defend against such a threat. That much had been proven during their introduction to the Arena, a lesson that saw her lose to the likes of a movie star of all people. If she couldn’t even get the upper hand on Eris there was little hope for surviving an encounter against a forced frenzy.
Slowing to a halt, Amaris glanced off to the side to gather her bearings after travelling without direction in mind. She was somewhat surprised to find that her funk had delivered her straight to the front door of the Arena. Until now there had been little reason for her to enter unless necessary for class, however, now she found herself hesitating from walking away. The recent examination had forced her to face her own limitations and had highlighted flaws she would have preferred to ignore. Perhaps her coming to such a place was a sign from her subconscious telling her that she had a choice to make. She could either continue to pass blame off onto others or she could guarantee that she wouldn’t be caught by surprise again. Deciding that she could at least try observing those more experienced than herself, Amaris tucked the card back into its pouch and made for the entrance.
The worn sands of the arena floor was always a comfort to him. A comfort brought to him by knowing most instances of combat were for training and not survival. The count felt very comfortable wearing only his loose training pants, with the rest of his clothes stacked neatly on the side lines. Bearing all his scars to the few that lingered in the dusty arena. Only a few people lingered to witness them though, most were on their way out.
Victor liked coming here at this time, it seemed most other students did not enjoy fighting like he did. It was in the simpler moments like these that he truly felt at peace here, knowing Salem was enjoying his free time somewhere away from him. Standing tall in the middle of the earthen square, the large brute of a vampire began to slowly move through all of his stretches and warm up moves. Making it a point to breath and strain every muscle with each fluid movement. He wasn't fighting some imaginary foe twice his size or many enemies at the same time it was actually rather slow and almost looked like a strange sort of dance.
The subtle creek of the arena doors opening slightly drew his attention for a moment, the thought of someone trying to find him because of one of Salem's blunders flashed through his mind. Instead he was met with a familiar sight, the Marivaldi Countess was standing there looking quite flustered or perhaps angry. Victor made eye contact with her for a moment, yet strangely he found himself looking away almost as if he was ashamed. That Vampire at the Revel had done a lot of damage. It was only after that he learned that he was not able to stop her before Cassandra was also attacked.
Amaris hesitated by the door as she matched eyes with the Count across the room. It didn’t take very long for her to place his face, especially when they were standing in the same space as where he had been buried for rough handling of a mage. Yet, even as she stood staring at him, Victor’s eyes fell away to find something else, anything else, to look at. For as much as she considered walking away to return at a different time, the way his eyes shifted away had sparked a curiosity in the Countess that drew her to stay.
Calmly closing the door Amaris composed herself before making her way around the outskirts of the room, her eyes fixed on the Astorio as she took each step closer. Despite time spent in the arena with the man for class she had never really paid the man much attention, seemingly content in keeping as much distance with him as she did with Varis. As she drew closer she began to notice a strange discoloration in Victor’s skin that could only be described as scars. She couldn’t help but to dwell on them, finding it difficult to tear her eyes away as they were a rare sight for her to behold.
“Apologies for the distraction, Count Victor. I had not anticipated my arrival to be so… noticeable.” Amaris worked to keep her voice measured as she spoke in spite of the scattered state of her thoughts. The Countess turned slightly to view the rest of the arena, finding the space to feel far emptier than it had during their class lectures.
“I can’t help but notice how quiet it is at the moment, have I come at a bad time?” She probed curiously, still looking around in an effort not to look directly at the Count.
So she was here for him, how strange it didn't seem like she was at all too interested in him until now. Victor relaxed his posture to turn to her and clasp his hands behind him, “it's quite alright, most of the others are leaving and the arena master is doing paperwork in his office.” he gestured toward the large mage’s office, otherwise he did not seem to be lying. “The distraction is fine. Better you than someone trying to find me to go deal with one of Salem's…” pausing for a moment to think of a good word, “Blunders… is there something I can help you with?” keeping his inquisitive posture while waiting for an answer.
She didn’t know why but Amaris found herself stifling a reflexive laugh at Victor’s statement concerning the boy she assumed was his partner. The thought that a mage paired to an Astorio was even capable of committing whatever slights constituted a ‘blunder’ and not end up chained to his vampire’s side was somewhat surprising to her. Still, it was enough to draw the Countess’ gaze back to the Count who stood patiently, awaiting her response.
“I see. Well, I had come in the hopes of observing a sparring match or two but it seems my knack for timing is about as advanced as my skill for combat.” The Countess shrugged as if to play off her mistake but she was unsuccessful in completely hiding the sound of disappointment in her voice. Amaris could feel some of her earlier rage fade as her eyes dropped back down to the ground. She considered excusing herself to try again another time, but something pulled at her to stay. While the Countess didn’t know a whole lot about Victor, she was at least aware of his contributions to the Revel incident. There was no way for her to know what sort of a reaction she might get from the man for even asking, or her own family should they find out, but Amaris found that she couldn’t just waste the opportunity standing before her.
“Perhaps you would allow me to trouble you for some advice instead? If you’re not too busy of course.”
Tilting his head ever so slightly in curiosity. Not once had the countess been interested in training done at the arena before, she always seemed to him to be either inexperienced or have some distaste for violence in general. To have her come here during what is their free time and not to go off somewhere to read or study was very curious indeed. On top of that she actually was interested in training for once. Perhaps coming to him alone she was trying to save face secret meetings and all, but more likely she was embarrassed by her skill.
It did not take him much to think over her request and slowly sit down with his legs crossed in front of him looking up at her. After all, Victor was well aware that he was a bit intimidating while standing. “Oh not at all I can always train at a later date, what exactly are you interested in or you think i can help you with?”
There was a small sense of relief that washed over the Countess as Victor lowered himself to the ground, though she couldn’t be certain if it had more to do with him no longer towering over her or simply his acceptance of her request. Amaris took a moment to consider her response carefully though. Learning to fight properly would only serve to benefit her and had been encouraged at the very least for her own protection, yet she had never considered that she might want or need to share that protection with someone else.
She knew she could lie about her intentions, as he wouldn’t ever know the difference, but what good would it do her? It wasn’t as if her stance on mage treatment was any sort of secret. Finding out she wanted the ability to better protect her mage partner would likely come as no surprise to, well, anyone. And while there was no real reason to tell the full truth either, Amaris considered the snark Victor could have met her with instead of hearing her out. Had she run into Varis instead, he would have ordered a podium on which to stand while his condescension drove her into the ground. Slowly, the Countess knelt down and folded her legs beneath her with her hands resting softly on the tops of her thighs.
“The news broadcast. That was how I learned that some woman had attacked and taken Cassandra away from me. And I keep playing that night over and over in my head searching for some detail that I could have done differently, but do you know what conclusion I’ve reached with every scenario? I lose. Every time, I lose.” Amaris could feel some of the lost heat returning, her fingers curling into closed fists in her lap as her eyes grew sharp with frustration.
“I’m all speed and textbook theory. What I need, what I’m lacking, is the strength and experience to back it up. The only problem is that I have absolutely no idea where to start.” The Countess looked up cautiously as she fell silent. So far everything was going unexpectedly well, and yet, she couldn’t help but to worry about the proverbial ‘other shoe’.
Listening intently, the friendly small smile faded to a sirius look as she continued to speak about the news and what had transpired. Again he found himself looking away from her, his eyes slowly drifting away from eye contact and to the arena floor in front of the countess. When she finished talking she wasn't met with a smile or a joke, she would not find him dismissing her or thinking she was a lost cause.
No, he simply got up and walked up to her. Checking his surroundings to make sure they were alone he didn't want to get caught up in rumors again. Victor knelt down onto his knees in front of where she was sitting seemingly not caring about being in her personal space. The count was well aware that he did not know her and owed her nothing, yet he still took the chance and let his guard down to open up to her in his own way. He embraced her in a hug without a care in the world of how awkward it might make her feel.
After a few moments he spoke with a soft and caring tone one would definitely not expect from the normally rough and stoic Astorio’s. “I’m sorry.” a slight pause between his words, “I know what it's like to lose a mage, especially one you were close to and knowing no matter how fast or strong you are it wouldn't have been enough to save them.” another pause as he released her from his grasp and simply stayed knelt in front of her, “Cassandra was one of the good ones and I'm sorry I could not get her faster. At least you can rest a little easier knowing that that vampire won't be bothering anyone ever again.”
The Countess grew wary as Victor rose and approached her where she knelt. Before she could comprehend what was happening, the man’s arms wrapped around her torso. For a brief moment panic set in and left the girl wondering just how brash he had to be to consider attacking a fellow noble on royal property. The feeling was quick to pass, however, as Amaris realized that what was happening was actually a hug. Still, she had no idea how to begin processing such an occurrence. Nothing was right about the situation, at all. Her eyes darted about the space to see if anyone else was witnessing what she was experiencing, but the arena had already completely emptied. Amaris had remained frozen in her confusion even as Victor released her, the Countess now staring somewhat wide-eyed at the man kneeling across from her.
“I-um, thank you.” She stammered as she attempted to collect her thoughts. Between his embrace and his words, Victor had successfully silenced the Countess with pure shock. What she knew to be true of the Astorios as a family, what she had witnessed right there in the same arena, couldn’t be reconciled with the words he had spoken. Victor had spoken as if he actually understood what she felt and not just empty words of comfort. A man who she thought was supposed to rival Varis in mage humiliation and cruelty was comforting her? Amaris had to snap herself out of her stupor when she realized that she had been staring at him in silence for nearly a minute.
“I’m sorry, I don’t mean to be rude. I guess I was just not aware there were any Astorios that bonded with their mages that deeply. Do you mind if I ask what happened to yours?” Whatever had happened, whoever they had been, it was clear from how Victor spoke that it had some degree of impact on him. While another might have seen it as an opportunity to extract weakness from a rival, Amaris found herself genuinely intrigued by it all. Perhaps he wasn’t as evil as she had originally thought.
Amaris responded to his gesture as well as he had hopped. She didn't outright attack him for it and it seemed like he had absolutely surprised her with it. Sometimes he does forget that he is an Astorio and they do have a reputation. The small smile he had again faded while she spoke. Her words seemed to be the real thing and he didn't think the countess would be pressuring him for information but he could still use it as a motivator of sorts knowing their reputation and treatment towards mages.
“It's not a problem, although i am strict as long as a mage is willing to work with me and put forth the effort. I don't normally have an issue with them, but I don't tolerate laziness or cowardice. Failure is acceptable if they learn from it.” continuing to remain knelt down across from her his hands grasped together in his lap. The muscles in his face moved while he grinded his teeth slightly, he was thinking about what she asked and how to answer.
“Hmm.” followed by a sigh before he continued, “how about a deal, I’ll tell you my mages name and once you beat me in combat I’ll tell you how she died. That does mean that I will be training you and if you would like, your mage too.” he brushed his pants off for a moment and stood up taking a few steps back to where he was before. “I already have my mage Salem on a training schedule and with the permission of Count Eve Salem is also training Lilly. I train Salem, he trains Lilly, it helps to teach him leadership. We don't spar unless we are here. It's mostly weight and endurance training mixed in with form and muscle memory as well as two hours of sunlight a day for mages. If you like i can train you away from the eyes of the other mages or you can train with them. I don't really care.” he was being completely serious with her, Victor was never one for nonsense.
Amaris took a moment to consider Victor’s offer carefully. Nothing he had said or done thus far suggested any form of deceit or malice. While it was entirely possible he was underselling the level of his ‘strictness’ with his mages for her sake, Amaris found that his current actions seemed to back up his words for the time being. He seemed more than comfortable including her into his already established training regiment and had even extended the offer to her own mage as he had done for the Count Eve.
“These terms sound fair to me.” Pushing herself back up onto her feet, Amaris lightly brushed the dirt from the front of her legs. “I’ll be sure to extend your courtesy to Maddie when I get the opportunity. But are you certain I won’t be a distraction to Salem or Lilie?” Even before Cassandra’s departure, Amaris had noticed the distance Lilie had put between her and the Countess. She had yet to find understanding in the mage’s actions but had done her best to respect the wishes of Cassandra’s friend. While she didn’t mind training with the other mages, if she was going to be little more than a distraction to the others involved, she would reconsider training one on one with Victor.
She seemed rather okay with his offer, giving her a nod he continued. “You're not going to like me very much, I'm going to make you work and you're going to have to do a lot of simple things at first. both to increase your strength but also your muscle memory and agility.” again he fell silent looking her over and slowly walking in a circle around her. “I will not have Salem teach you, I will. Although I do trust he would do a good job, I do not need him to have that much of a confidence boost. He gets in enough trouble as it is.”
Continuing to walk around her and talk to her observing things like her posture, how she held herself while being examined, and of course just her looks. “Although I may pull Salem aside to correct him on what he is doing, you can join the others on their endurance training if you wish. So if you would like we can go over some of the basics now or in the evening tomorrow i'll leave that up to you.” Victor slowly came to a stop in front of her again and sighed, “and her name was Sara.”
Amaris did her best to focus on Victor’s words as he made his way in a circle around her. Any uncertainty she held of herself was suddenly tenfold as she could feel his eyes studying her, passing silent judgement with every moment. Instead she tried to think about what trouble the aforementioned Salem was getting himself into that caused Victor to speak of him so. There was nothing so outrageous that it had met her ears, though she figured she might not have recognized him even if it had. After all, she did have her own troubles to deal with starting early on.
As he came to a stop and left her a choice, the Countess cast her eyes down to her outfit of the night. It was a mostly black ensemble consisting of a form fitting, long sleeved shirt and equally tight leggings, which were mostly covered by her striped, wrap around skirt. At first glance, Amaris’ selection was likely far from what was normally considered acceptable for the activity at hand, however the fabrics were light and flexible enough that she could make due for the moment. She would have to remember to pack something better suited in the future, but the present only required that she kick off her boots.
“Why wait, I’m already here right? You’ll have to excuse my footwear though.” She responded sheepishly as she removed the hazards from her feet. “So Sara, huh? A lovely name.”
The large vampire didn't respond to her mention of Sara. Instead he squared up a few feet in front of her placing his left foot forward, letting his weight rest on his right leg, shoulders and hips turned so that his left side was facing her creating a smaller target. “As you wish. This will allow me to figure out where to start with you.” bringing up his arms and bending his elbows so they formed a sort of small shield. His large hands were open but not stiff, obviously meant to grab and grapple rather than strike. “Yes, she was.”
With that one acknowledgement to what Amaris had said about Sara he struck at her quickly with his left hand. Victor wasn't trying to hit her but he did use all of his speed to plant the shot right next to her head. He didn't much care how she reacted only that she did, he was trying to see how quick her reflexes were and if she would respond by trying to dodge, get out of the way, attack him, or freeze. Any reaction would tell him what he wanted to know.
Amaris had assumed a similar stance to her counterpart, with her left leg forward and her arms up in a defensive stance. Unlike the Count, however, her torso was not nearly as angled and her fingers had curled into what might have passed for a fist. There was a subtle shift in the Countess’ demeanor as she readied herself for whatever assessment Victor thought to administer. While her curiosity was driving her to learn more about the mage that somehow paved a way for this very interaction, Amaris knew better than to let her guard down at this stage. Now was the time for study, something that was clearly reflected in her sharpened focus.
She had been prepared for him to move, but somehow found herself unprepared for how. While not quite sure why, Amaris had expected the strike from his other hand as he stepped toward her. Seeing as neither of those expectations were met, the Countess was left with little room to react as Victor’s hand approached the area beside her head. Amaris knew that it was unlikely he would strike her for real right off the bat, but her uncertainty worked somewhat against her. Wanting to at least do something, Amaris threw her right arm up to create a barrier between his arm and her face. Had he been aiming directly for her face, the move should have shifted the blow to somewhere above her shoulder instead… Unfortunately for her, though, Amaris only succeeded in meeting his arm with the outside of her own at its intended target. The Countess was proud of herself for resisting the initial urge to flinch at Victor’s strike, yet she was faced with an equally awkward reaction in its stead.
Amaris stared at the spot where her arm had unnecessarily collided with his, wide, unblinking eyes tracking back to Victor’s face as if she would find some kind of hidden instruction written on his forehead somewhere. Was she expected to counter? Was there a right way to counter from where she stood? She thought a kick to his, now seemingly unguarded, side might have been a viable option but her racing mind only served to paralyze her body. Every question that popped into her head could be seen clear as night on the full moon. Even after having boasted a knowledge on combat theory, Amaris had been tripped up by one failed expectation and, as a result, delivered the world’s most pathetic attempt at a block.
“I’ve already done it wrong, haven’t I?”
He didn't flinch or move to defend himself, although attacking him was an option the way she went about it made him think it was more of an accident then anything. Stepping back into a relaxed posture the count bit his lip. “You think too much. You need muscle memory and a technique to fall back on when all else fails.” tipping his head from side to side for a moment, “but you still tried to block, it's better than doing nothing I suppose… so how about footwork then?” he shrugged and resumed his fighting position this time keeping his left leg forward from his body but his foot still firmly on the ground.
“I'm quite aware that you are very analytical and you more than likely have a lot of book smarts. By knowing that I know that you're coming into this or other fights with a plan right?” he asked. It was a rhetorical question he knew the answer. Slowly stepping forward towards her then around her in a circle to watch how she changed her footing. “I can tell you this right now, everyone, human or vampire thinks they have a plan until they get punched in the face.”
With that last bit of information he came at her, keeping his guard up and trying to step on her feet to make her lose balance and push her over. If she was able to dodge these attacks and he was sure she would. Victor then swung his right leg out and twisted almost to the floor sweeping his leg around to attempt to trip the countess.
Muscle memory and a technique to fall back on… Amaris agreed with the first half, and yet the second seemed to clash with Victor’s analysis of her. He was right in that she was more analytical than practiced and that already put her at a disadvantage. That disadvantage was then compounded by the fact that he knew this and could prepare for her tactical decisions and target her lack of experience. So how would having a technique to fall back change the scenario she was in? The Countess sighed, but kept her question to herself for the time being. It was likely such questions would be answered in time so it was best to stay focused in the moment than to argue with the instructor.
Amaris kept a wary eye on every move Victor made. Every step he took was matched with a readjustment from her. Knowing how quickly she could lose control of the situation, she wanted to keep him in front of her as best as she could. Without lifting her feet from the ground, the Countess shuffled her stance with partial pivots and half steps back. She maintained contact with the sand beneath her feet at all times, prepared to move at a moment’s notice, but the motion was more that of a dancer than of a fighter.
As the pair moved, Amaris listened to the Count and considered his words carefully. What was the difference in having a plan over having a strategy? What good was technique and forms if plans were all but useless in practice. Her mind began wandering down the rabbit hole of twisted and confused logics, just trying to make sense of something. If plans failed and a strike was imminent, what more was she expected to do? React.
A flash of movement registered in the corner of her eye as something moved quickly at her feet. In the void that was left behind by a broken train of thought, Amaris defaulted to the one physical thing she had any practice in; acrobatics. While the sudden steps at her toes had succeeded in throwing her off balance, but rather than falling, she ended up pushing her weight into what could only have been described as a cartwheel. Victor wasn’t yet done with her though, following up his initial disruption with some sort of leg sweep as she was exiting her maneuver. Just wanting to put some distance between her and him, Amaris threw her momentum backward in a panicked back handspring before returning to her defensive stance.
By this point, her frustration on the topic had grown. Even in practice she still didn’t quite get what it was that Victor was talking about. “How is one supposed to have strategies or techniques to fall back on if you can’t plan for any of… this?” She asked while making a vague motion to the space around them.
Watching carefully, Victor continued to watch her. He was paying attention to every slight detail, his words throwing her off, his movements catching her barley off guard, the tension in her muscles, what she was looking at, and most importantly how she responded. The way she responded did surprise him slightly, he honestly wasn't expecting her to have too much skill in acrobatics but at least it was a start. This he could definitely work with.
When the two came to a stop, he let her speak her mind but gave her a quiet moment to think before continuing. “You have a base strategy when summarizing a fight. What are the current conditions? Is it cold and wet or dry and warm? Who or what are you going up against? Is there any chance of collateral damage you need to worry about? Do you need to be deceitful and keep an ace up your sleeve? How many things are trying to attack you? What kind of weapons or magic do they have?” Victor paused for a moment and crossed his arms.
“All these and more would sum up your strategy. Perhaps stealth is the best option, maybe there is no risk of collateral damage and you can go all out without worrying about bystanders, can you run from the fight and avoid it all together, possibly even lure them into a trap?” rolling his neck from side to side cracking the joints in his neck. “Strategy is how you approach an issue, technique is how you deal with it. In the heat of battle sometimes your opponent or opponents can make split second decisions that you were not expecting. In these cases you need to trust your body, trust your instincts, trust your technique.”
Victor moved away from her to the edge of the fighting pit then turned to face Amaris. “The acrobatics are a good step and a good place to start from. However, you need to learn to trust yourself and your body without your mind getting in the way. With that and really just practice you could very well be a capable fighter in time.” with a smile he clasped his hands together and put them behind his back. “So the next step is how you strike and how hard you can hit. I will not stop you or move, I simply want you to hit me in the chest with your best shot.”
“I see… Until now, I suppose I had been thinking about combat as more chess-like with flushed out tactics and optimal counters. But with what you describe to me, it sounds more like a dance with improvised choreography and whose tempo is at the mercy of the musician.” The Countess mused to herself as Victor reset himself for the next portion of the ‘evaluation’. Rather than continuing to dodge or counter, as she had been, she would be the one dealing the blows; or attempting to anyway. She couldn’t help but feel just the slightest bit insulted by the fact that she was being directed to swing her best shot directly at her instructor’s chest. Realistically, she knew that her inexperience alone was enough to ensure Victor’s safety through the next step, however, it still stung to know that there was zero concern of her cracking one of his ribs.
Exhaling slowly, Amaris relieved herself of some of the fog that had built up in her mind and refocused on the task at hand. Victor had moved away from her while he had been talking so she took a few steps to close some of the distance before taking up her stance once again. Now that she had some time to really observe her ‘opponent’, Amaris noted that striking at Victor would be comparable to striking at a brick wall. As a vampire, she was already built sturdier than the average mortal but when compared to a man built and trained for combat, Amaris might as well have been one of the mages he was training. She figured striking with a closed fist put her more at risk for injuring herself during the exercise so she decided on striking his chest with her palm instead. With her eyes locked onto their target point, Amaris finally shifted the weight of her left foot forward and struck out at the man with her right hand. It was her intent to strike him with the lower portion of her hand where her palm was at its densest and twist her torso into the strike in the hopes that her weight might make some difference to its strength.
He could tell she was thinking about the best way to strike while she set herself up. At the very least she was very much aware of how the strikes, “why do you think i enjoyed dancing with Cassandra so much.” he said with a smile. She was the reason he was in this situation in the first place. If it wasn't for her and their brief interaction the countess would likely never have talked to him.
The strike was rather well placed and she did put her weight with her own speed into the strike. His torso moved and his limbs seemed to follow as she sent him to the ground. It didn't make him tumble but definitely sent him to the ground. Victor was still on the ground for a moment before he ran his hands over where she hit him. “That was a good shot, definitely bruised. No cracked or broken ribs, would probably be enough to crack the ribs of others.” he sat up and slowly began to stand. “But your form was off and it almost seemed like you chose your strike while you were swinging. Your arm could have been positioned better and your follow through was a bit off but we will work on it.”
Shock overtook Amaris’ face as she stared down at the Count. The last thing she had expected was to have actually knocked the man over, although she figured Victor had shared that sentiment prior to her strike thus leading to the current position. Amaris shifted her gaze between the fallen Victor and her hand while he assessed his condition and reported back his thoughts. Despite the fact that she had just been doing as she was instructed, the Countess knew that she would have felt at least a little bad if he had sustained anything worse than some bruising. Still, she couldn’t help but feel excitement for the small amount of praise she did receive for her efforts, her small success more than enough to buffer the criticism she knew was to come.
“There’s certainly a lot to be worked on. I wasn’t expecting there to be so much reconditioning to do on a mental level but I’m kind of looking forward to the challenge. So what else do y-” Amaris had started to ask but found herself distracted by the presence of another. In her enthusiasm for the exercise, the Countess had forgotten all about the Arena Master who proceeded over their regular training. She hadn’t expected him to pay them any mind but the aura the man gave off was on par with even Princess Nox.
“A’ight, listen here you two. Dust yourselves off and get out of my arena. Couple of fire mages got the next time slot so can’t have y’all out here in crispin’s range.” He barked at the pair with all the softness of a cactus. If there was anything Amaris knew about the man, it was that his word was law when it came to the arena. She might have been disappointed but it beat spending time in some underground tomb for disobeying.
“That’s unfortunate, although I guess it does give me an opportunity to reflect on what you’ve taught me so far. Oh, would it be possible for me to get a copy of your training schedule?” Amaris asked as she began gathering her belongings to leave.
The count was quite content on watching the countess and her reactions. It almost seemed like she had never struck anyone like that before, that look of wonder and awe at the realization of one's own power was hard to miss. However, his attention on her would explain why the voice of the arena master caught him off guard. Honestly Victor wasn't paying attention to the time. A simple mistake he thought while moving to gather his things.
“Training schedule? Hmm.” he spoke while putting his clothes back on. “For Salem I require him to spend at least 2 hours a day in the sun. however he accomplishes this, i leave up to him. Other than that it's one hour after and before the sun sets and rises. With two days of the week chosen randomly but never back to back to be used as rest or meditation days. So go ahead and stop by whenever you get the chance.” the large vampire waited for her at the door for a moment. “Just don't expect me to go easy on you anymore. From here on it will be a challenge.”
“I’d expect nothing less. It might take me a few days to acquire some clothes more appropriate for the activity but I can assure that you’ll be seeing me soon.” She hesitated as she turned to take her leave, glancing back at Victor with a serious expression. “If at all possible, I would appreciate it if we could keep this arrangement as private as possible for the time being. Unnecessary distractions and all that.” Amaris added before dashing off, leaving Victor behind to make his own exit.
Victor nodded towards her with a smile, “that's no problem for me, i'll let Salem know we may have more newcomers. I’m sure he will be excited.” the duo seemed to part ways after that. He was heading towards his dorm now that little interaction was definitely something he was sure he would have fun training with someone who could handle being tossed around a bit more than salem. “What an interesting day for my birthday.” he whispered while walking slowly back toward his dorm, taking a swig from his flask as he walked.