06-02-2025, 01:08 AM
They moved to the center and circled each other for awhile. Elyse waited until Nox threw the first punch. She blocked it and countered with her own, which he met. Elyse had sparred with Nox before, and the first thing she noticed was that he was sluggish. Combat training wasn't the way people saw it in the movies. You learned to see a weakness and exploit it. You ended the fight quickly because death was the alternative. This isn't what this fight was for. It was for improvement and getting into shape.
Nox was a better fighter than she was. Elyse knew that. That's what daily obsessive practice did for someone, but Elyse clearly had the edge here. It wasn't his fault. Being tortured meant his muscles weren't responding in a way he was used to, and he was missing something he had always used in his spars - the power. Elyse would press when she saw his weakness, but not overly exploit. A hit there when she saw the opening, to let Nox know she had seen it. It was a training technique. One to show him the holes so he could identify and fix them.
She may of had the advantage, but Nox got in hits too - and plenty of them. She was sure one underneath her ribcage would bruise later. It was fine - she was used to that. She had her weaknesses that had to be addressed too. The spar continued back and forth with Elyse only backing up when she heard the occasional growl come from Nox. It was then she backed up. It wasn't fear or condescension that cause it. She wanted to give him the space to center himself. She didn't talk or offer any advice unless asked. That was just basic manners.
Elyse wasn't surprised when she heard footsteps coming down the stairs to dojo. The kids had likely come back for gym or had been upstairs and notified by Sky that there was a spar going on downstairs. Elyse wouldn't mind an audience, but she hoped Nox was okay with it. Another attack and Elyse moved to attempt a grapple, but she missed, Nox slipping out of it at the last second. She smiled a bit. She was actually having fun with it.
Nox was a better fighter than she was. Elyse knew that. That's what daily obsessive practice did for someone, but Elyse clearly had the edge here. It wasn't his fault. Being tortured meant his muscles weren't responding in a way he was used to, and he was missing something he had always used in his spars - the power. Elyse would press when she saw his weakness, but not overly exploit. A hit there when she saw the opening, to let Nox know she had seen it. It was a training technique. One to show him the holes so he could identify and fix them.
She may of had the advantage, but Nox got in hits too - and plenty of them. She was sure one underneath her ribcage would bruise later. It was fine - she was used to that. She had her weaknesses that had to be addressed too. The spar continued back and forth with Elyse only backing up when she heard the occasional growl come from Nox. It was then she backed up. It wasn't fear or condescension that cause it. She wanted to give him the space to center himself. She didn't talk or offer any advice unless asked. That was just basic manners.
Elyse wasn't surprised when she heard footsteps coming down the stairs to dojo. The kids had likely come back for gym or had been upstairs and notified by Sky that there was a spar going on downstairs. Elyse wouldn't mind an audience, but she hoped Nox was okay with it. Another attack and Elyse moved to attempt a grapple, but she missed, Nox slipping out of it at the last second. She smiled a bit. She was actually having fun with it.