The rope run was set up, it had taken Lyv and two helpful trainees who earned some credit by helping her a full day to set up the run. The trees they had chosen were strong and could hold a man’s weight, even if that man was working through forms and slaying his sword they would keep him safe up there. The actual tying down of the knots that held the ropes in place had been done by Lyv, she did not trust the trainees that much. They might be helpful to set this all up, but did they really understand how difficult this task was? She did not pay anymore mind to that for now as it was Anashawn who would be going over these ropes.

 

“Good morning student,†she said and nodded at Shawn. They had met under the tree that was chosen as a starting point for the rope run. It was connected to the other ones and after training and lot’s of effort, Shawn would benefit from that connection and dance over the ropes performing his moves and going through the motions of his forms to reach the other sides. There were slings hung from higher branches on the second run, so that Shawn would have to either avoid these or slash them without losing his balance. Lyv had hated this course and it had taken her quite some time to get through it. The bruises had not passed soon enough for every day she had to go back on the rope run, sore and hurt from the previous days’ attempts. But it had been worth it, her balance had greatly improved and she had found more stamina and willpower in herself by forcing herself to continue.

 

Her mentor had been Nerion at the time and he had not stuck around to help her train. He had merely told her to finish the rope run in a set time, which he would keep during her test. It was up to Lyv to practice and get so familiar with the rope run that she could do it blindfolded and with new obstacles on her way, within the shortest of timeframes. And now, Anashawn would have to start practicing for his test. It was a great feeling that a new Student of PoW was working through the old styles and forms again. Not many chose the Path of Water and those that did, did not always stick with the full program. Lyv knew that this young man would make her proud and she also knew that the day that she would stand in his BladeMaster circle was coming soon.

 

“Practise until you think you cannot practice anymore, heal your bruises with herbs and steam baths and night if you must, but practice all day long. Run over these ropes, learn where you need to keep your balance and where you can trust on your speed.†She waited for him to acknowledge that he was ready and then said, “You will need to use forms to pass over the ropes, there is one jump involved between the third and forth roperun and after that you will need to attack the obstacles that fling your way,†this was a bit of a descriptive warning but it was better he find out for himself. She nodded, then turned and left. Lyv would be back in a day or two to check on him and his progress, for now she trusted he could begin. “I’ll see you soon, student.†And winked at him before she headed back to the Yards.

 

Lyv Tylin

Master of Path of Water

 

OOC: Play out the next two days where Shawn practices his balance skills on the roperun, his speed and his forms. Be creative in what obstacles Lyv had conjured up for him and how fast he will progress. My next post will be a check-up, it’s up to you if you want to do a test for Lyv and if you pass that first time.

As Lyv walked away Shawn gazed up the tree at the rope that hung suspended between it and the next one. This would not be easy. He had been dreading this part of his Path of Water training. The truth was that he loved the water, and he admired the way it flowed and wanted to emulate its grace but this would be most difficult for him. He had very poor balance. Well, if he was honest with himself it wasn't that bad, it was certainly better than many others, but it was far from adequate for this task. The rope was so small. How was he to even stand on it, let alone walk? And yet, he'd have to do more than walk if he was to succeed in this. He'd have to run, and work forms, and attack the obsatcles Lyv had placed. It seemed impossible. But he was stubborn. Lyv and the other Master of PoW had all gone through this and he would too.

 

He climbed the tree to reach the level of the first rope and saw that it was indeed just as small as he'd thought. A small part of him had hoped it was an illusion cast by the height but he'd known better and here was the proof. Holding onto the nearby branches he cautiously placed his right foot out onto the rope. It seemed solid enough. He wondered momentarily how Lyv had managed to tie it so taut but put the thought aside and concentrated on placing his left foot behind his right. He soon succeeded in balancing well enough to risk letting go of the branches he held.

 

He breathed a sigh of relief that he hadn't fallen with that first risk and raised his left foot to move it forward and begin this stage of his training. But when he raised his foot his right twisted on the rope and he fell. He twisted as he fell, trying to grab a branch or two as they flew by but succeeded only in attaining what he was sure would be the first of many bruises to come before he landed hard on his back on the ground. The air left his lungs in a flash and he struggled to gain it back again.

 

Shawn brushed himself off as he sat up and removed his boots. He should have thought of that sooner, his shoes were slick from the dew on the grass, but he'd fix that now and try again. Back at the rope Shawn found his balance and started off. This time he actually made it about halfway acoss the first rope before losing his balance and falling again. He'd been out in the open between two trees and thus received no bumps on errant branches, but it also meant his fall had not slowed any and he hit th ground even harder than before.

 

He despaired of ever succeeding but found himself back at the rope before he could even consider quitting. It seemed that for once his stubbornness would actually help him accomplish something instead of just getting him in trouble.

 

By two hours after sunset he had succeeded in walking his way across the entirety of the course. Running, jumping, and sword forms would perforce come later but for now he needed food and sleep.

 

OOC: I'll post at least once more and then poke you when it's your turn. BTW-Shawn will pass the test the first time he takes it but that won't be right away. The first time Lyv comes to check he will humbly admit he's not ready and keep training until he can succeed on the first try.

The next morning Shawn returned to the scene of his assigned torture, weary but determined to finish the task he'd been given. He'd suffered many a fall yesterday but he'd succeeded in teaching his muscles the balance needed to travers the rope course, at least at a walk anyway. Today he'd start off by attempting to run through the course. He hoped not to fall but he knew that it was bound to happen at least a few times. Well, he'd fallen more than a few times from that height already, it hurt but he could handle it.

 

At least that's what he'd thought until he arrived at the scene. It seemed somebody, most likey Lyv herself, had been here while he slept and retied every rope on the course about twenty feet or more higher than they were the day before. Falling yesterday had provided more bruises than he might have guessed, but no broken bones. A fall from even the lowest of the ropes today would surely be his death if he couldn't catch a branch or two before landing.

 

Shawn took a deep breath and climbed up to the first rope. Looking at the ground so very far below he ammended his plans for the day. He decided to start with a moderatley paced walk to remind his body of the lessons learned the day before. He crossed the first rope without any difficulty and stepped around the tree to the start of the second. The third rope was reached easily enough as it was tied at an acute angle from the secong, allowing him to simply step from one to the other. So much for the easy ones.

 

Getting to the fourth rope required jumping three feet up and five feet to the left from where the third rope ended. He had fallen several times yesterday before he'd gotten this but he couldn't afford to fall now. Shawn took a deep breath and jumped. The height and distance offered no real difficulty, the challenge lay in the landing as the rope was less than a third the width of one of his feet. He made the jump safely and only wobbled slightly before regaining his balance. He knew had have to work on that part if he was to pass Lyv's test but for now he was content to move on.

 

Starting with this fourth rope, and continuing on to the fifth and sixth as well, there were several targets representing opponents to be fought hanging from a higher rope so that they swung at head and chest level. This time through Shawn merely mimicked hitting them with his sword as he passed them. Each of the sixth ropes was angled slightly, some up and some down, so when he reached the end of the last one he found himself three feet above the rope he'd started on. It had provided a nice warmup and now he was ready to take his training to the next level.

 

He chose to put off the running and practice instead on working his way through the forms as he traversed the ropes. Drawing both his katana and wakizashi he worked slowly through the forms. He worked each move of each form as distinct and individual movements, going slow enough to fit all twelve of the basic forms within the span of the first three ropes. Not since his first day's as a trainee had he had to concentrate so carefully on these basic moves, but he could not afford even the slightest mistake. Besides which, his body wasn't used to making these moves on such a thin platform to stand.

 

So engrossed was he in what he did they he hardly realized where he was until he reached the end of the third rope and had nowhere left to go. He jumped across the gap and looked at the obstacles along his path. No longer would he merely mimic attacking them, and he knew the impact of sword on target could disrupt his balance enough to send him falling if he wasn't careful. He noticed though that the placement of the targets practically screamed a set order for the intermediate level sword forms he planned on using. Seeing this he knew what to do. Shawn closed his eyes and started across the rope, moving through the forms just as slowly and deliberatly as he had before but this time using the flat of his blades to hit each target as they passed. By concentrating only on the forms and not the targets themselves he found he had reached the end of the course without missing a single one.

 

It was then that he looked at the sky and noticed just how long this execise in deliberate movements had taken him. The shadows stretched long through the trees and he knew he had only a slim amount of daylight left. That was when he noticed Lyv coming up the path toward him. He hoped she wasn't here to test him already. He hated to dissapoint here but he just wasn't ready for this.

Lyv had come to the training site a few times over, before deciding that Shawn was ready for his test. She had studied his progress and was impressed with his determination. It was important for the students of Path of Water to be able to depend on themselves, to be the best asset to a team so that all could depend on the man. And she knew that he would make it, he would drive himself as far as he could go and further from there even. Practicing sword forms at a reasonable height, among tree branches and leaves that poked everywhere at once, on a thin line that could dance on the wind took effort. Actually, it took more than effort, it took heart and she was going to ask Shawn to show her his heart.

 

Walking among the trees she did not take any care in hiding her trail or walking careful as she had done before. It was important to study progress from a distance, so the student was in deep concentration and seemingly alone in his efforts. She had almost jumped out of hiding once to help him up after a terrible landing, but he had climbed up, put bandages with dried herbs on his hurt arm and he had continued training. More careful and cautious at first, but soon in his full swing again and she had trusted he would do well. Today, she would ask him to show that as Neroin had asked her. She would count the steps he took and keep the time it took him. There was no passing a first test as he would have to improve his own record before completely finishing the course.

 

“Shawn, good morning, I see you are up and early practicing,†she waited as he came over to her and offered him some water from a waterskin. “Today you are going to show me what you’re worth, I’m going to time you and if you stay under the old record you can quit trying and consider yourself a Disciple of Path of Water who has passed the Rope Run,†she paused and studied his face, determination turned into doubt before her eyes. She did not believe him, he was ready and there was no need to doubt that, “You ready?â€

 

Lyv Tylin

OOC: well, since it seems he'll have to do it twice no matter what I'll go ahead and have him accept the challenge now after all. No sense in declining to try and get it the first time if he'll have to do it twice anyway.

 

IC: Ready? No, of course he wasn't ready. Could he complete the course without killing himself? Yes, but completing it in the time she'd set as a goal, certainly not. He wasn't ready. He knew he wasn't ready, and he was going to tell her just that and never mind if she'd be dissapointed in him. "Yes, I am ready," He heard himself say with way more confidence than he really felt. Where did that come from? Silly question, he knew exactly where it had come from. His stupid stubborn pride was getting him into trouble again. Well, he'd gone and said it so, there was only one thing left to do.

 

As he climbed the tree to the first rope he went over the course in its entirety in his head, reviewing every step that he would make. He took his time climbing, giving his nerves a chance to settle so they wouldn't betray him. By the time he'd gotten to the starting point for the test his nerves had quieted to a distant hum instead of the roaring waterfall they had been. He opened his eyes and turned to tell Lyv he was ready, just in time to catch the blindfold she'd tied to a rock and tossed up to him.

 

No words were needed, he secured the blindfold with a grimace and centered himself once more. Using the simple exercises Rosheen had once taught him he called wrapped himself within the calming essence of the Spring, pulled his swords from their sheaths and let go the tree. With the added fouce the Spring gave him he was able to glide his way smoothly and effortlessly through the beginner level forms as he traversed each of the first three ropes. At the end of the third rope he leaped across to the fourth without any hesitation and began the journey that would take him back to the tree he'd started from.

 

In practice he had merely touched each of the obstacles placed in his path but this time he followed through with strength and speed, his impact with each one reinforcing his confidence that he was doing well. And then it was over. He found himself at the end of the last rope short of breath but pleased with how he'd done. He'd no idea whether he'd broken any kind of record but he knew it was certainly the fastest he'd comleted the course and he was happy enough with that for now.

 

After removing the blindfold he sheathed his swords and swung down one of the safety ropes to land lithely in front of Lyv. "So, how'd I do?"

He asked how he’d done, which made Lyv raise an eyebrow. Why did he ask her when his confidence showed he knew he’d done very well indeed. She grinned and patted him on the back, “There is always room for improvement,†and noticed how he froze for an instant. “That is to say, I’m not so sure in this case, but the idea of our Path is that we always challenge ourselves to do better and that is what I would like to ask you.†She knew this was ridiculous, Shawn had done his very best and had shown that he had taken the job of training very serious and still she asked him to do better. It was a personal drive that PoW students had, each and every one of them wanted to be the best and it was something that came in their character to balance the care-free let go and have fun life they pursued. Some days you did your best to care less and on other days you did everything you could to show that you were the best of the best. It was to be one of those days for Shawn and Lyv was the one to break it to him.

 

“Shawn, good job, but I know you can do better,†she bit her lip and then commenced to explain that he would have to beat his own time record. “The forms were good, the balance you have under control, now it’s time to chase the element of speed in your training.†She watched as he climbed the first tree and waited for him to try a second run. She did not stop him from trying so soon again, if he failed he would learn that his body needed to rest after intense work and if he succeeded she knew that he had not given his all in the first attempt. Which was also a good strategy, because Path of Water was about fooling the opponent with behavior that tipped him off balance. Right now, Lyv expected Sawn to fail as she had seen him work with all his might on the blindfolded run. Yet, if he succeeded he would have shown her that he used his head as well as his hands and feet. She was excited and rooted for him in silence, thinking back on her own attempts at the Rope Run. She had failed in her own eyes when Neroin had told her to improve her own run, but now that she was the teacher she understood how difficult it was to ask someone to overexcel themselves.

 

Lyv

Better? Faster? He had just given his all to the last attempt and now she wanted him to try it again and better his time? What was wrong with her? Didn't she know how hard he'd worked? He should just go back to his room and rest so he'd be fresh to try again tomorrow. He definitely shouldn't be trying again so soon after overexerting his muscles. Unfortunately, by the time he'd decided to not attempt a second try his body had decided otherwise and he'd found himself standing on the first rope with a sword in each hand and a rag over his eyes.

 

Somehow he had to move faster than his first attempt. He had chosen to pursue the Speed discipline for his training so he was shamed that he had failed in a time trial of any type. He simply had to push himself even further than before. He knew that the forms had been perfect the first time, there had been no mistakes to slow him down, he'd simply have to push every muscle in his body to move faster than they ever had before.

 

This time, when he finsihed, he hadn't the time to pull the stunt he had the first time and land at Lyv's feet. Instead he simply lowered himself slowly to the ground. His body screamed for him to collapse but he stood firm before her. "That should be fast enough. I have enjoyed this training and will return to improve my abilities but for now I believe I have passed your test, no?"