The Horns of War II: Kyellan Writes On

[Kyellan]

Geez, it's February already eh? 

 

So much to do, and only 29 days to do it in. I'm going to keep this pretty simple this month. I'm going to be pushing myself though, which means I'm going to need to be careful not to overdo things. 

 

1) Get out running at least 1x/week. 30 minutes minimum.

 

2) Do at least two weight sessions/week. Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday are available days. They don't have to be long, just enough to do some basic sets. This means I'm going to have to start dragging myself out of bed earlier. This will be a good thing for me.

 

2a) Neither of the above will impact my 3x/week Kung Fu training or my 1x/week lightsaber class. Class is the priority. Everything else is gravy.

 

3) Keep logging calories. I doubt I'll get down to 199 this month, although if I'm careful it's technically possible. I do want to weigh in under 205 by the end of the month, though. This should definitely be doable. My lowest so far is 208.2.

 

4) Keep writing. I haven't written this many words since I published CLARITY. So far I've written almost 6,000 words(!! I just counted this, holy wow) in less than two chapters on this weird ad-hoc project, but it's fun and I don't care how good it is. Unless y'all are just humoring me, it must not be god-awful--I'm seeing some engagement--so that's good enough for me.

 

BONUS: Book flights to Germany before Feb 29!!

 

Here's a link to a collected text file of the story so far, for anybody new who's interested in catching up.

[Luciana Valerosa Culming]

It really is a short month. Time is flying this year.

[Oramac]

It's funny.  I clicked Follow on your thread before I even read it!  haha.  

 

Looking forward to seeing you kick some ace this challenge too! 

[Kyellan]

It really is a short month. Time is flying this year.

 

It really is going fast. Although with how much I'm fitting in, I can't complain too much. The faster the year goes by, the closer Germany gets!

 

 

It's funny.  I clicked Follow on your thread before I even read it!  haha.  

 

Looking forward to seeing you kick some ace this challenge too! 

 

I actually almost wrote this in your thread, but I figured it needed to be here instead:

 

I want to do this Tough Mudder under 200 lbs, able to pull my bodyweight up and over a wall without struggling. That's my driving vision right now. Everything leads to that.

[Oramac]

I want to do this Tough Mudder under 200 lbs, able to pull my bodyweight up and over a wall without struggling. That's my driving vision right now. Everything leads to that.

 

Awesome!!  The way you're going, I'm certain you'll be able to accomplish that!  

[SkiBlue]

Solid plan! Looking forward to many good things.

[Kishi]

I like how the challenge looks. Simple and clean, and riding last month's momentum. I do hope we get to see more writing from you.

 

Be careful with the running. I know I said that you should do it because you enjoy it, and I still do believe so. Just, you know, be careful not to starve yourself while you're at it, you know? Don't chase the numbers on the scale, let them come to you.

 

What are you doing to develop that pulling strength?

[Oramac]

What are you doing to develop that pulling strength?

 

A valid question.  Pull-ups are an incredibly effective part of training for the Mudder.  (hence why I'm so worried about them in my challenge)

[Kyellan]

I like how the challenge looks. Simple and clean, and riding last month's momentum. I do hope we get to see more writing from you.

 

Be careful with the running. I know I said that you should do it because you enjoy it, and I still do believe so. Just, you know, be careful not to starve yourself while you're at it, you know? Don't chase the numbers on the scale, let them come to you.

 

What are you doing to develop that pulling strength?

 

There is definitely more writing coming soon.

 

Oh yeah, no worries. I'm eating plenty. I tend to allow myself a bit extra food on running days--not eating back all of my calories, because that way lies stagnation, but definitely not starving myself.

 

A valid question.  Pull-ups are an incredibly effective part of training for the Mudder.  (hence why I'm so worried about them in my challenge)

 

For pulling strength, I am currently working inverse rows on my weight set. My power is growing: last night I attacked the pull-up bar at the kwoon, and while I did not succeed in a full pull-up, I actually got my arms to contract halfway, and hung there for a good ten seconds. Given that usually I just hang at full extension and struggle for anything at all, this is actually a big improvement.

 

--------------------

 

An amusing note: one of my kung fu classmates shared a cookie fortune that he'd obtained with us last night. It read:

 

Po says: Happiness is beside you. Unless you are sitting next to Shifu.

 

Everyone, including Sifu, got a good laugh out of it.

 

So at class last night, I made it through the usual 50 pushups (this keeps getting easier) and actually made it all the way through our 'half-and-half' abdominal exercise (half crunches, half reverse crunches). My kicks are getting higher, starting to land mid-chest instead of waist and below when I aim them. The jumping jacks are starting to feel like nothing, mostly thanks to the running, I think--100 jumping jacks is barely a warm up compared to a 4-mile run, although I dare not say that to Sifu.

 

Then, halfway through our technique training for the evening, Sifu sprang another set of 50 pushups on us. And guess what? I did all 50! AGAIN! O.O

 

I've never really been a He-Man fan, but this seems to call for a moment.

 

 

This morning I dragged myself out of bed, warmed up, and lifted some heavy-ish:

 

1x5 deadlifts @ 95 lbs

5x5 bench press @ 95 lbs

 

This is officially my baseline. I'll do this set one more time and then reconfigure to 100lbs. I'm going to take this nice and slow, adding 5 lbs/week to my weighted exercises for the duration of the February challenge. By the end I should be benching and deadlifting 115, if all goes according to plan.

 

I wanted to do my inverse rows this morning as well, but after the above sets I was starting to feel a bit twingy in an elbow, so I stopped before injury. I'll do inverse rows, body-weight squats (or maybe add the empty bar) and some Kung Fu forms practice on my next weight day, probably Thursday.

[Oramac]

For pulling strength, I am currently working inverse rows on my weight set. My power is growing: last night I attacked the pull-up bar at the kwoon, and while I did not succeed in a full pull-up, I actually got my arms to contract halfway, and hung there for a good ten seconds. Given that usually I just hang at full extension and struggle for anything at all, this is actually a big improvement.

 

Great progress!!  Keep it up and you'll be making those pull up stop action videos in no time! 

[SkiBlue]

For pulling strength, I am currently working inverse rows on my weight set. My power is growing: last night I attacked the pull-up bar at the kwoon, and while I did not succeed in a full pull-up, I actually got my arms to contract halfway, and hung there for a good ten seconds. Given that usually I just hang at full extension and struggle for anything at all, this is actually a big improvement.

 

This is cause for much celebration! I need to work on mine to catch up.

[Oramac]

This is cause for much celebration! I need to work on mine to catch up.

 

Why?  Are you doing the Vermont Tough Mudder with us?!  Yes? Yes?!  (you totally should!)  

[SkiBlue]

Why?  Are you doing the Vermont Tough Mudder with us?!  Yes? Yes?!  (you totally should!)  

 

Haha, I just want to be able to do a pull-up. Is an impressive feat for ladies.

[Chen Wangting]

Reminds me to get my own travel plans going. Good luck with the challenge.

[Kyellan]

Storytime!

 

Okay, I want to experiment with something here, if you guys will play along. Because I'm writing this story with no predetermined outcome, I've actually reached a point where two equally valid things are possible. 

 

So, let's play CHOOSE YOUR OWN ADVENTURE! Everybody who's interested, read the story development below (after reading The Story So Far if you haven't) and then reply with your preferred story path. I'll accept votes through today and tomorrow, and then I'll continue writing the story based on the one that gets the higher vote total. If it's a tie, well... we'll burn that bridge when we get to it.

 

If this goes well, I'll keep doing it. Otherwise, I'll just write on.

 

----------------

 

The apparition staggered toward him, its clawed fingers outstretched, a sickening parody of a human being. The overpowering stench was perhaps worst of all, making Kyellan's stomach twist and writhe as the smell of decay assaulted his senses. Reason fled, the momentary bravery that had welled up in him dissipated like fog struck by the morning sun. His heartbeat rose from a steady hammering to a panicked flutter as he stumbled backward, wildly swinging the sword back and forth in front of him as he shrank behind the wooden shield.

 

Between two swipes of the blade, the revenant lunged. Kyellan choked, bringing the shield to intercept--and simultaneously stepped on the trailing leg of his woolen nightclothes. He lost his balance, letting out a panicked cry as he fell backward, the torch falling and rolling away, the revenant's weight bearing him to the ground, only the shield between him and the creature's teeth and claws. The sound of the scratching now filled his world, his mind lost to panic, the sword trapped beneath his weight... and the strength in his arm beginning to wane.

 

He had no leverage to push the revenant off, but neither could the creature reach him in their unwieldy position. The shield was enough for the moment, but without some kind of intervention, the dead thing would get him when his left arm tired. Sweat poured off him, and his arm began to tremble.

 

A sickening squelch rang out in the corridor. The weight abated.

 

"It's all right, recruit," came a reassuring alto voice. Brokentree.

 

Kyellan at last let go of the hilt of the sword trapped beneath him, took a moment to rub his face with a trembling hand before lowering the shield. To her credit, Sergeant Iulia Brokentree looked remarkably unperturbed by the recent likelihood of her impending death, save for her very pale complexion in the flickering torchlight and a general expression of relief. The dark ringlets of her hair were somewhat out of their usually-immaculate alignment, thanks to the late hour, and her thick wool winter nightclothes were a change from her usual priory uniform, but her stern resolve helped to stem the fluttering panic.

 

She offered him a hand, and he accepted, getting back to his feet. His hands went slack as he tried to steady himself, and he dropped the shield in the process. The sound echoed in the hallway, making him wince.

 

Brokentree looked him up and down, but mercifully did not comment on his disheveled state. Instead, she said simply, "Thank you."

 

He nodded, numbly.

 

"That was brave of you, coming to my assistance."

 

He nodded again.

 

The Sergeant paused for a moment, pursed her lips, and then said, "It was also extraordinarily stupid."

 

"I know." His voice broke on the second word.

 

She looked down at the inert forms of the re-deceased revenants, and then back to him. She reached down and picked up the sputtering torch, which came back to full life once it was off the floor. "There's no way that this is all of them."

 

Kyellan shook his head. "They must be going after the leaders," he croaked, giving voice to his earlier thoughts.

 

Brokentree sighed, as though this were all merely some minor inconvenience. "All right. We have no idea what we're up against. There may be a dozen, two dozen, or more. Half of the priory is gone on their mission assignments, with most of our veterans. The longer we delay, the more people die... but if we wake and arm the other recruits, we'll have a better chance of fighting off whatever comes at us."

 

Kyellan nodded, swallowing hard against the bile in his throat. "What do we do?" he whispered.

 

--------------------

 

Well, dear readers? Should Sergeant Brokentree order that the recruits be awakened and armed, costing valuable minutes? Or should she and Kyellan simply press onward to see what help they can lend immediately to those in danger? VOTE AND FIND OUT!

[SkiBlue]

YAY! Choose Your Own Adventure. I pick CALL TO ARMS!!

[Oramac]

I like it!!  

 

Normally, I'd go with the stealth approach and say the two of them should just go now.  But I don't feel like the Kyellen character would leave his fellow recruits behind, especially not knowing if more revenants are going towards the dorms.  

 

So, all that said, GET THE RECRUITS!! 

 

EDIT:  I also kinda like this idea for writing a story within your challenge.  I may steal borrow the idea myself, if that's ok?  Try my hand at this writing thing again.  

[sarakingdom]

I'll pick stealth.  Brokentree's probably a bad-ass, she could take out a few of 'em.  So just the two of them, provided she can get that Kyellan kid a cup of coffee. I'm half-expecting him to go into shock any minute.

[Kyellan]

I'll pick stealth.  Brokentree's probably a bad-ass, she could take out a few of 'em.  So just the two of them, provided she can get that Kyellan kid a cup of coffee. I'm half-expecting him to go into shock any minute.

 

The young, untested, half-trained recruit who shares my forum username cannot be a complete badass. That comes far too close to crossing a line I'm not prepared to cross (warning: TVTropes).

[sarakingdom]

The young, untested, half-trained recruit who shares my forum username cannot be a complete badass. That comes far too close to crossing a line I'm not prepared to cross (warning: TVTropes).

 

It's only a true Mary Sue if he has violet eyes and Spock falls in love with him.

 

I hear ya, though.  That's why I decided my one attempt at story would probably be my last.  Having an avatar of your NF identity as the protagonist of the story makes it hard to get the protagging vs. modesty balance right.  At least I picked a universe where ironic downbeat endings and alienation were par for the course.

[Kyellan]

It's only a true Mary Sue if he has violet eyes and Spock falls in love with him.

 

I hear ya, though.  That's why I decided my one attempt at story would probably be my last.  Having an avatar of your NF identity as the protagonist of the story makes it hard to get the protagging vs. modesty balance right.  At least I picked a universe where ironic downbeat endings and alienation were par for the course.

 

It's true that this might end up being trickier than I thought. But hey, I'm down for a challenge. I'm on record as having published works with main characters who are 1) a hyper-competent Conan/Dirty Harry/etc loner type, 2) a total coward who eventually gets his head on straight, and 3) an illegally-genetically-engineered starship commander suffering from severe PTSD following her long imprisonment.

 

Hopefully this runs the gamut enough that I can walk the fine line in this case.

[Arrowan]

Love the goals. Specific, challenging, and achievable. And yes, please keep writing!

 

Great job with the push-ups, crunches, and kicks!  Seems like you're in that place where you really get to see the benefits of your prior hard work and perseverance.

[Arrowan]

Um, sorry about that, folks. My internet connection sometimes goes in and out and results in multiple postings...my bad. 

[Luciana Valerosa Culming]

I also think they would wake up the others. Especially after calling him dumb for getting in a fight alone.

[Arrowan]

I also vote they wake the other recruits. The training session from an earlier chapter highlighted the recruits' individual strengths and weaknesses, so this would be a great time to see those in action!