The next day began much earlier since he'd already shown he was able to
work. It began with Xander checking the wounds from the day before. The
cuts didn't hurt as much today and the pain easily faded into the
background haze he'd been experiencing since his arrival. The visible
marks had sealed, but his chest, arms and legs were covered in lines that
looked to fade no more. New scars would now and forever crisscross his
body, and he knew he must have more on his back as well.
Shooey gathered him early from his room and led him to a group of Shooey's people. Pointing at the group Shooey shoved Xander toward them and left. It wasn't the nicest of company to be left in, as several of those gathered glared hatefully at him. A couple looked confused by his presence and said something that sounded like it was about his eye. At least that's what part of the word they whispered sounded like in English.
The work his group was tasked with was carrying rather heavy... things. "Things," Xander muttered to himself. "I'm tired of calling everything a thing. Thing this, creature that. The language thing... UGH, this language barrier is pissing me off. Couldn't my torturers at least have the decency to speak my language and gloat?" Xander's mutterings earned him glares from those near enough to hear him. One even went so far as to trip Xander, sending him falling forward and slamming his chest hard against the object he was carrying. Having the feeling that stopping to catch his breath would be a bad idea, he got back up and resumed carrying the thing. The pain from two ribs he'd bruised faded into the haze that he was becoming used to.
When the hottest part of the day came around Shooey pulled him out of his work group and they returned to the clearing in the village. Again they both removed the snakes before Shooey grabbed the sticks, what Xander decided must be training sticks to fill in for the snakes, and tossed one to Xander. Gripping his stick, he ignored the slight pain holding it caused. Xander set his feet shoulder length apart and slightly bent his knees as he waited for the attack.
After the previous days spar, Xander had assumed Shooey would attack him straight away, instead he was circling him this time, outside of Xander's reach. As Shooey began to move out of Xander's view, forcing him to move, Shooey struck as Xander was moving to keep his eye on him. Working the blind spot, Shooey struck Xander's left leg as he was moving it backward to reorient himself. This unbalanced Xander and forced him to slam his leg down to keep from falling, a momentary lapse that let Shooey get two quick slashes in, across his left thigh and shoulder.
Xander moved back out of range and settled his feet now for quicker movements rather than bracing for a powerful slash. Shooey stabbed at Xander's right side, prompting Xander to shift his body to one side and use his stick to force Shooey away from him, a move Xander had seen work in numerous action movies. What those movies failed to show, however, was that when you perform that move, it leaves you open to a solid punch to the head -- at least, it does if you have a blind spot that shields your opponents lunging left arm from view.
The punch nearly caused Xander to lose consciousness, but he struggled through and watched Shooey's shadow until he thought Shooey was preparing another slash. Moving back as quickly as he could, he avoided the slash that would have hit the back of his neck and sent him to another wake-up in his room. Grabbing his stick with both hands he swung like a batter toward Shooey's midsection as he was pulling back from the failed slash. Shooey moved quickly back out of the way and batted Xander's stick away with his own. Undeterred and now wanting badly to at least land one hit on Shooey, Xander moved forward to slash at Shooey's right leg even as he was slashed along his right shoulder. Ignoring that pain he did his slash only for Shooey to step casually back and let the stick slide less than an inch in front of his kneecap.
Shooey did another quick strike and fire blossomed along Xander's collarbone and sent him falling forward. Trying a last ditch move he slashed upwards as he fell, aiming for Shooey's groin. So intent was he on trying to get that one strike in that he failed to notice Shooey's foot before it hit his face. He barely registered it before he was again unconscious.
Shooey looked down at Xander's body and nodded. Xander hadn't scored a hit on him, but as Shooey looked down he did spot one thing amiss. The loincloth he was wearing was slashed. The sight caused something akin to a chuckle from his hideous visage as he reached down and picked Xander's body up.
Shooey gathered him early from his room and led him to a group of Shooey's people. Pointing at the group Shooey shoved Xander toward them and left. It wasn't the nicest of company to be left in, as several of those gathered glared hatefully at him. A couple looked confused by his presence and said something that sounded like it was about his eye. At least that's what part of the word they whispered sounded like in English.
The work his group was tasked with was carrying rather heavy... things. "Things," Xander muttered to himself. "I'm tired of calling everything a thing. Thing this, creature that. The language thing... UGH, this language barrier is pissing me off. Couldn't my torturers at least have the decency to speak my language and gloat?" Xander's mutterings earned him glares from those near enough to hear him. One even went so far as to trip Xander, sending him falling forward and slamming his chest hard against the object he was carrying. Having the feeling that stopping to catch his breath would be a bad idea, he got back up and resumed carrying the thing. The pain from two ribs he'd bruised faded into the haze that he was becoming used to.
When the hottest part of the day came around Shooey pulled him out of his work group and they returned to the clearing in the village. Again they both removed the snakes before Shooey grabbed the sticks, what Xander decided must be training sticks to fill in for the snakes, and tossed one to Xander. Gripping his stick, he ignored the slight pain holding it caused. Xander set his feet shoulder length apart and slightly bent his knees as he waited for the attack.
After the previous days spar, Xander had assumed Shooey would attack him straight away, instead he was circling him this time, outside of Xander's reach. As Shooey began to move out of Xander's view, forcing him to move, Shooey struck as Xander was moving to keep his eye on him. Working the blind spot, Shooey struck Xander's left leg as he was moving it backward to reorient himself. This unbalanced Xander and forced him to slam his leg down to keep from falling, a momentary lapse that let Shooey get two quick slashes in, across his left thigh and shoulder.
Xander moved back out of range and settled his feet now for quicker movements rather than bracing for a powerful slash. Shooey stabbed at Xander's right side, prompting Xander to shift his body to one side and use his stick to force Shooey away from him, a move Xander had seen work in numerous action movies. What those movies failed to show, however, was that when you perform that move, it leaves you open to a solid punch to the head -- at least, it does if you have a blind spot that shields your opponents lunging left arm from view.
The punch nearly caused Xander to lose consciousness, but he struggled through and watched Shooey's shadow until he thought Shooey was preparing another slash. Moving back as quickly as he could, he avoided the slash that would have hit the back of his neck and sent him to another wake-up in his room. Grabbing his stick with both hands he swung like a batter toward Shooey's midsection as he was pulling back from the failed slash. Shooey moved quickly back out of the way and batted Xander's stick away with his own. Undeterred and now wanting badly to at least land one hit on Shooey, Xander moved forward to slash at Shooey's right leg even as he was slashed along his right shoulder. Ignoring that pain he did his slash only for Shooey to step casually back and let the stick slide less than an inch in front of his kneecap.
Shooey did another quick strike and fire blossomed along Xander's collarbone and sent him falling forward. Trying a last ditch move he slashed upwards as he fell, aiming for Shooey's groin. So intent was he on trying to get that one strike in that he failed to notice Shooey's foot before it hit his face. He barely registered it before he was again unconscious.
Shooey looked down at Xander's body and nodded. Xander hadn't scored a hit on him, but as Shooey looked down he did spot one thing amiss. The loincloth he was wearing was slashed. The sight caused something akin to a chuckle from his hideous visage as he reached down and picked Xander's body up.