Henry Renold's Training

[Henry Renold]

Henry flexed his muscles and clicked his neck once on each side. He didn’t feel this would be much of a task, but he knew he had to prove himself before the Dark Knight would give him more challenging training methods.

As he arrived at the Arena, a secret training ground literally built underground, he saw his master was already waiting, and he held an arrangement of weapons Henry had never used before.
“Today boy, we see how well you fight. If you want to be a thief you need to know how to fight your way out of tricky situations, without just lobbing someone’s head off.”

Henry began with his knives. He knew he was a fairly good hand with them, he had to be in the slums, but against a seasoned soldier (which was who he had been pitted against) it was a different story. He parried left and right, blocking all the blows but not able to get one in himself. It was a one sided fight, and Henry knew he wasn’t doing well enough.

The Black Knight stopped them and explained to him about footwork. It seemed there were different stances and positions which allowed you to gain a hold over your opponent. He quickly demonstrated a few and told Henry to use each one, The fight resumed.

This time Henry was concentrating so much on his feet, that he forgot to block, and he soon had small cuts on his upper arms and face. The blades had been blunted magically, but it didn’t prevent cutting altogether.
He ignored the blood running into his eyes and mouth and tried harder, counting in time with the slashing of knives and pounding of feet.

Soon he was practically dancing. The battle had become a song and he was the conductor. He still hadn’t gained any advantage over his opponent, but a quick feint soon changed that. Henry was smaller than the man he was fighting, and he went for the armpit, causing him to block left. He slipped under the mans arm and dove round the back of him, bringing his long knife to his throat.

“Enough!” The Black Knight bellowed and Henry sank to the ground in exhaustion. He got a pat on the back, and an order to practice before their next session. Henry nodded and lay on his back, satisfied. With that his master left.

[The Dark Knight]

Accepted Henry.

You may now add Black Soldier to your signature.

[Henry Renold]

Post for Black Soldier in the assassin division.[/i]

Henry pulled on the skin tight clothing he had purchased when he first joined the brotherhood. It had cost all the money he had earned in six months, but had been worth it when it came to his work. His thieving.
Now he had changed his specialisation, to assassin. Just like Dante.

If someone had told Henry Renold a couple of months ago, that his best friend would be dead and he would be comfortable with killing people for a living, he never would have accepted it. When he had been forced to kill a man to protect himself and Gill, he had been physically sick and disgusted with himself. How quickly things could change, for now as he pulled on the mottled grey leggings that would blend him into the shadows of night, he couldn't think of anything that felt more right.

He wasn't killing anyone tonight, worst luck. Instead he was just having a good old practice with one of the more experience fighters in the guild. It was boring, but it meant that Henry could prove himself easily and not put much effort in. He didn't feel very energetic anyway.

He arrived at the training grounds late, but didn't care. The Black brother who was waiting for him was more than a little annoyed but again Henry barely batted an eyelid.
"Keep your hair on." he commented sarcasticly as Shimli began to scold him, "It's not like anyone died." His eyes glinted at his dark humour, but no smile passed his lips.

Shortly after that encounter the fight ensued. Shimli was a tank, with an impressive war hammer and strong arm. His most offensive attack was his wide sweep, where he used his hammer and strong arm in conjunction to try and knock Henry clean off of his feet. It was successful many times in the battle, but Henry wasn't completely out of his depth.

At one point Henry actually managed to disarm Shimli, although in his defence he had been rather distracted by a pretty young girl at the time, and had managed to recover soon after (which was when Henry received the large cut to his right forearm).

He came away from the battleground feeling as though it was enough to get him to the next rank though, and he might not have tried his best this time, but he would when he got a real assignment.

[The Dark Knight]

Accepted.

You are now a black soldier in the Assassin Division