The champion's chest rose as her posture straightened with the inhale, drawing air through her nostrils as she took a deep breath, letting the sensation pass through her body. She focused on the feeling of her lungs expanding to their maximum capacity, letting that sensation be her core. Two lungs, both equally full with air, maintaining balance and equilibrium without second thought. The body's natural way, a small balance that she could use as a base.
Akali's plush lips parted slowly and her chest deflated, the air slowly brushing across her tongue, through her teeth and through the narrow gap she created. It was audible, one of the few sounds in the clearing that particular morning. The breath ended with a soft hum from her throat that quickly escalated into a loud and sharp cry. "Hah!" she shouted, expanding that balance outward. Her fist shot forward abruptly, going from where it had rested open palm under her chest to a forward blow.
Every action had a reaction, it was part of Ionia's concept of balance and one of her secrets. She focused on that balance. Her fist's forward momentum would have to be matched by backward momentum, so her feet braced into the ground, letting herself carry the punch forward. The wrapped knuckles connected against the trunk of the slim tree and with a loud snap of protest the trunk broke. Her fist cleared through and her feet dug into the ground, braced.
Maintaining her focus she used that balance, the bracing of her feet, to throw forward some more momentum. "Hah!" she cried again as her leg lifted and whipped around, moving so sharply and deadly that it caught the falling log and again snapped it in half horizontally. She followed through with a twirl in a crouch, slowly exhaling another breath to slow her heart rate, the log finally landing as the entire thing happened in a split second, as fast as a blink.
Shen was sitting on top of a tree, staying absolutely still and hidden as he hid behind the covering of green, rustling leaves. He watched her stand still for moments on time as she was breathing, and destroying the tree with a swift strike from her fist and her foot. She wasn't called the Fist of Shadow for nothing.
He stayed in the tree, observing her next movements without a sound. He was thinking to himself whether to show himself and engage in a basic conversation, and perhaps meditate by her side, or just wait a little bit longer to see her next move.
As the logs struck the ground and the dust settled Akali rose from her crouch and continued her breathing. Not only did it help her train her focus, but it also kept her heart rate under control and her body under balance. That was the key. Balance, equilibrium and absolute harmony. They were all things her mother taught her long ago, and they were the very basic aspects of Akali's intense discipline. Power and speed, twin disciplines working together.
Again she channeled all of her focus while she took two slow and smooth steps across the clearing to a fresh tree. Her pace didn't stop, and she took a quick step forward before thrusting all of her strength into her leg. A bounding leap into the air, again just a blur in the blink of an eye, sent her to the first of three targeted trees. Her foot connected with the trunk and the counterbalance of her force allowed her to rebound off of it. She flipped back, landing in front of the second tree, and with a similar cry as earlier swung her fist. Her hand smacked against the trunk and she spun, her heel coming around to hit the third.
Her foot lowered down from its impact point almost painfully slow given her movements, and as it came to rest the three trees all snapped evenly where they had been struck. They didn't simply crack, but were practically sliced clean through, all three falling together to form a tee-pee shape over Akali. She took a deep breath and found her rest again before turning her gaze to Shen in his tree. "How long have you been watching?" she asked, no sign of exertion in her voice.
Shen watched as her fluid motions had her springing from tree to tree. He sat silently in three, crouched down with his arms resting on his knees. He looked at the three trees that were sliced perfectly clean from their roots as they were tilted into a neatly formed tee-pee.
He heard her spoke, looking directly at him. He stood up, not wobbling an inch as he was standing up on the branch. He leaped down and landed gracefully, as he continued walking. "Long enough to see your displays of skill. Good work Akali." He said, as he did a small bow of respect and hello to her. "I was more so interested in how you were doing, though I see by what is left of the trees, you are doing fine." He sat down in front of her, legs crossed as he sat up straight, with his hands on his knee. A meditating pose.
((Damn I don't even know how to top that writing. You obviously been on these types of forums longer than I have. Could you perhaps help with some stuff? Simple profile, Signature pics and stuff like that?))
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Her body remained still but Akali's eyes flickered and followed Shen as he made his way along the branches of the tree and down to the ground. His words made her smile, a bit of mischief dancing across her expression as she waited for him to come to rest. When he settled into a meditative pose she joined him, lowering herself to the ground right where she was and crossing her legs over each other, her breathing still carefully monitored. When she exerted her energy like that she needed to cooldown lest her body react negatively.
She didn't mediate on the ground, though, merely finding her harmony in the meditation and coming to rest. "That is merely my morning rituals, keeping me on edge, making sure my abilities don't dull. Surely you've got one of your own," she asked pleasantly, not boasting or mocking, merely conversing and asking innocently. "Trees are nothing like actual opponents. A human sternum doesn't slice as easily."
Shen nodded. "This is true. Both on the parts of rituals and the toughness of a sternum." He said as he looked at the sky above them. A partly cloudy sky, but still had plenty of sunshine and blue to offer to it's image. If only more light was able to touch the ground if it weren't for the trees and their leaves about. "Though I haven't seen a sternum be a problem for us, at least for me." He said, as he grabbed on of his blades, as well as its sheath, and held it in his hands. His meditating pose was like before; sitting straight, knees crossed, even and relaxed breathing, the back of his hands resting on his knees, and now the sword was gently held in his hands, as he looked down at it.
He looked up at her. "And how has life been fairing on your ends? I know we aren't able to talk to each other on a regular basis, given our ties with the Institute and the Kinkou."
Akali's gaze followed Shen's as he focused on the sky, on the canopy of leaves above them. Ionia had a lot of trees that canopied quite easily, bearing plenty of leaves up high but leaving their trunks bear underneath. It created a very surreal effect as they sat on the ground, the only sunlight marred by the shadows of the leaves. But they were of the Kinkou Order and the shadows were their friends . . . for the most part. There was no threat there, under the sky and the shelter of the trees, and Akali found it relaxing.
"Mmm," she mused, a soft humming noise resonating from her throat as she considered his words. "I said the sternum doesn't slice as easily, I didn't say it couldn't be done. They typically crush, however, when I hit them that hard." The thought was macabre and dark and she didn't laugh at the humorless joke, merely smiling instead. "Valoran requires a lot of pruning to maintain balance. There are only three of us, it's a busy task on top of the League of Legends. Regardless, it's nice to get home," Akali smiled softly.
Shen nodded. "A good slam from the hilt of a blade." He said, but more to himself than anything. "It is a difficult task. I find myself carrying out more judgement everyday. I wonder why there has been an a spike in the rate of judgement." He said. Why now? Perhaps this was foretelling of a future event? "Then... There's... Him." He said, a quick flash of a memory obscured his vision of Akali.
A ninja stood out in the rain, as several of other ninja were slaughtering people. Men, women, children, and elders were all screaming as they were fending off the ninja of the forbidden knowledge. That one ninja, standing out in the rain, laughing as Shen's people were being murdered one by one. The image went away, as he shook his head to get himself into focus. "I feel with everyday that he stays at the Institute... People begin to actually admire him, and join his ranks. I'm unsure if he would use such new recruits to threaten us."
Akali nodded slowly as Shen spoke of more judgments. She knew all about it. Aside from her time in the Institute of War and their matches she'd been striving to find balance as well. "Balance is difficult to achieve and even more difficult to maintain," she said with a shrug. There really was no explanation for the increased workload the Kinkou were facing. It seemed like the council always had more jobs for them to do when they reported in. Akali hadn't even seen Kennen in some time.
As Shen approached the topic of one of their fellow ninja, Akali bit at her bottom lip. It was a touchy subject all around, the existence of Zed, but Shen knew it more than anyone else. That rivalry was something Akali couldn't necessary get involved in, it was between the two of them. But being friends, being there made it hard not to. "It just adds more weight to our role in the League. There is only one of him and three of us, after all, we can still rally more to our cause, to the side of balance and harmony."
Shen nodded slowly, staying silent as he looked at the ground. There was nothing but the sounds of the singing birds and the rustling leaves until he broke it. "Yes... This is a possibility." He said.
The thoughts of Zed returning once more to wreak havoc upon his clan was something Shen had always thought of, but Akali's words were helping him push the thoughts away in order for him to be reassured. "I suppose all we can do is to do what must be done." He said, quoting the famous lines from Akali's own mother. "For now, all I can say is thank you for the encouragement." He said as he looked back up at her with a nod of gratitude.
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Akali smiled gently as Shen seemed to take encouragement from her words, reciting the words of her mother. "We must just remember that balance is the natural way of things. It will come on its own as long as we continue to focus on our duties," she said, keeping her tone flat and simple. "What happens is for a greater good, and to retain balance in all things."
Some part of her seemed a little hesitant in her words, and she brushed that away quickly. "But that is beside the point. Zed is now a League champion and has the protection of the Institute of War. Right now he is untouchable, but he cannot touch us either," she concluded and then dropped the topic altogether. "What brings you back to Ionia, Shen?"
"I'm done with duties as of now. I'm sure more will come up, but I'll take the free time I have with my clan." He said. "Meditating, more physical training, perhaps getting in a nap if I'm lucky. And you? I can only assume you're done with duties as well?"
Akali nodded as Shen spoke and smirked. "It's good that you're taking the time. Balance between duty and relaxation is essentially to maintaining yourself; both your mental and physical health. You don't want to overdo it and end up burning yourself out, especially as a champion of the League. There's a lot expected out of us, I would hate to see it get to you or Kennen," the Kinkou said, her smirk turning into a quaint smile.
Akali took a deep breath and climbed to her feet, exhaling once she stood up. "I was on my way to the council, actually. I have finished my last mission and wanted to report in and get my next set of orders personally. I don't think I'll be in Ionia long," she explained, dusting off the bottom part of her shozoku where she had been sitting on the ground and adjusting her ponytail.
Shen shook his head. "Do not worry about me Akali. I'll be fine. As for Kennen, I doubt he'll run put of energy any time soon." He too stood up as he got some dirt off the back of his pants. "It is best if you do that. It would be wise not to keep the council waiting. Good luck on your next mission." He said, giving her a slight bow just in case she was leaving now.
Post by thedarksovereign on Jan 2, 2013 1:26:53 GMT -5
Syndra's form hovered above the two Kinkou Ninja's. The Dark Sovereign was curious as to their activities since the fall of the Kinkou Order to the Order of the Shadow and their master, Zed.
"How Curious..." She muttered to herself as she balanced upon one of her gravitational orbs. The other two swirling around and around her body.
Welcome to Maelstrom, Original Characters, Summoners and Champions alike. We are a divergent setting roleplay forum for the ever-popular MOBA by Riot, League of Legends. This means we are based in Riot canon, but your characters' actions can have a real, lasting impact on the world. Together, the Maelstrom community endeavors to bring the League of Legends setting and characters to life through collaborative storytelling and meaningful development. We welcome you along for the ride.
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