Tiragarde Keep (M L): Attack Pavel aggressively?
From Create Your Own Story
You know that Pavel has very great skill indeed, and decide that your only chance is to surprise him and end the fight quickly, before he can bring too much of that skill to bear. Giving you the first move was his first mistake, and you take advantage of it. Letting your sword dangle by your side, you dash toward your foe, turning in mid run for a slow slice at his right, the side he probably wasn't expecting to defend. He sidesteps right into your outstretched buckler, but since you put all your momentum into your sword he manages to push that arm aside and escape the attack. You twist back the other way, using his momentum against him by allowing him to run himself into the blade, but he manages to duck just in time, and your sword whooshes over him.
All the twisting and swift attacking you've done has left you off-balance, and Pavel takes advantage of it. He swings down at your left shoulder, and when you parry with your sword, he smashes his buckler into the side of your head, sending you sideways. By taking several steps you manage to keep your feet, even swiping at the back of his knee as you pass, but he deflects the strike with his blade. Turning around, you find yourself at the edge of the circle, a greatly undesirable position. You face Pavel and charge again, blade outstretched as though to impale him through the abdomen, head kept low to get inside his guard without being shredded. Unfortunately, it seems to be exactly what he was prepared for.
Mere moments before you would reach him, he sidesteps and smashes downward with his buckler. Still carried forward by the force of your charge, you slide a little ways along the deck before coming to rest. Though winded, you manage to get back to your feet before Pavel reaches you. Jumping at him, you strike several times, and each time you are met by a parry. After a moment of frenzied exchange, your blades lock, leaving you face to face. It lasts a few seconds, each of you pushing against the other, before he slides his wrist around your blade and hits you in the chin with his hilt, finally flooring you. Applause breaks out over your dizzy, bruised head, and you know that the fight is over.
"Not bad, Private, not bad. You've got a good start, but you need to be careful to analyze my position before trying to attack it. Here, I'll walk you through some drills." The drills, long, difficult, and arduous, last the rest of the day; Pavel is as brutal a taskmaster as a fighter, pressuring you to attempt a strike or parry again and again until it's up to his sky-high standards. You know you're making progress, and you did about as well as anyone who ever challenged the seasoned veteran, but you still feel a little disappointed about your performance. By the time night falls, however, such thoughts are a distant memory; you've only got enough energy left to stagger back to your hammock and sleep.
