[Sword of Legend]

The world moves forward quickly, forms that shape through art, through combat, through circumstance. Each adapting and evolving to match the times that they are thrown into. It takes years, decades, even centuries to have a natural forming paradigm understood by hundreds, maybe even thousands of knowledge seekers wishing to make a change or add a skill to their lives. This will be no different, a form, an aspect of combat forged by the imitation of what had succeeded in the past and a discarding of what no longer was realistic in this world of magic that we live in. It takes more than just will, or desire, or even effort. There is a destiny that each person in this world is tied to, one that shifts and changes with our actions.... but an ultimate epicenter where the events come to a head.... defeat, or victory.  

 There is no purer thing, than to fight on behalf of your own life, none more natural and none more necessary for life to continue as it does.  This form, is dictated by the natural flow of life, an energy that is ceaseless, whether the vessel is intact or not. The fist aspect that must be understood to wield this form before any sort of attack pattern or dexterous exercise is that of  the aspect of Flow... 

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[Remnant]

Flow – Understanding the Concept



Flow, in essence is a state where the mind has reached a state of absolute focus, not so much so that the awareness around you diminish, but one where the mind’s level of awareness reaches a point of non-conscious reaction. The most common example comes from the breath, while each person that exists can control the rate of breathing, it is so necessary to our survival that our mastery of it has reached to a point were thought is not required to perform the action. That is true flow, allowing our actions to be performed without thought...allowing our focus be placed in other places, giving us a more advantages position in all aspects of life.



The easiest way to understand that the mind has reached flow actually happens *after* we exit flow. The perception of time itself is changed during flow, whether a person is a time mage or not. The most common phrase to think of is the old saying *time flies by when you’re having fun*. Think for a moment about each time that you were enjoying yourself, maybe when dancing with friends, doing an activity you enjoy like hiking...or training your body to the limit in a magic you are coming so close to in mastering. Once you are finished and are aware of the time...it’s hours later and you’re left wondering...where did the time go?



Flow...a of focus that transcends time and space itself, it all exists in the soul and in the mind. To put it in a sentence.... Flow is a space your spiritual and mental planes of existence intersect.

[Sword of Legend]

Flow – Loss of The Self



The ultimate question is how does one have absolute focus and control, and then at the same time loss one’s sense of self simultaneously? How can two very contradictory concepts coexist in the same space? In this instance, the *self* that we are referring to is our conscious self. That *self* that is aware of our shortcomings, our physical weakness and deficiencies that need to be rectified with things like food, sleep and social interaction. To lose ones *self* in this instance, is to discard the everyday anxieties that push our actions towards fulfilling our basic physical maintenances.



In battle, one must have a complete understanding of their own bodies, their capabilities and their weaknesses. If there is even a sliver of thought put towards covering for a weakness or the pain of taking a blow, the state of flow will be released, and all of the feelings will rush to you at once... forcing you to realize just how mortal you are. The State of Flow allows that version of your *self* to take a backseat, to allow those things to become nonconscious functions and allows your other *self* to take majority control.

We shall call this other *self* the *Id*



Battle in itself is pure, a language that all living things understand and cannot get misconstrued with verbal language. The Id speaks this unspoken language fluently, and the Id must be the one that communicates with your opponent’s own Id. An exchange of *words* that well allow you to understand their will, their desire, and allow you to pick apart the weaknesses of their *argument* and leave you as the victor.



Reaching this state is fairly simple, you must acknowledge the existence of your Id, and it will speak to you through instinctual actions. That *gut* feeling you feel when you are making a decision, THAT is your Id speaking to you, trying to communicate in a way that YOU understand. To acknowledge your Id, YOU must communicate to it in a way that IT understands.

[Sword of Legend]

Flow – The Cycle of Energy



Flow is much more than just a mindset or a mental state, there are physical aspects of flow that one can take advantage of the moment that they have a grasp on entering a state of flow. Mana circuitry is an interesting concept, in the context of Fate Waltz, it is an integral part of mastering the form. Flow of energy can have multiple source, from one’s own soul, the free-flowing energy around us, and from *another person*. The last portion...is quite key, the flow of energy can happen through a clash of blows, releasing energy into the air and then flowing *back into you* while the amount of energy that cycles between a person through the veil and into another person is finite, mastering this natural flowing energy allows you to stream your attacks virtually without tiring.



This is where achieving a *mental state of flow* begins to apply. Consciously drawing from energy outside of the center of your own body requires a SUBSTANTIAL amount of conscious focus. That focus, in battle, is being continuously broken by the battle itself. Trading blows, figuring out the plan of your opponent, looking for weak points, and a plethora of other variables that happen in a battle. All of these things will force your conscious thought away from recycling the free-flowing energy in the air and from you opponent and only focus on what you believe matters.



With mastering flow, your mind can push combat tactics to the background, in a set of cycles, a cycle that will allow you to perpetually continue your onslaught so long as your opponent themselves has enough energy to feed the cycle. That point that they do not...is the point that you have won.



The Id has the power to draw from this free-flowing energy, and does so naturally. That feeling of elation when an ally comes with good news, or witnessing your captain succeed in a battle plan. Hearing an inspiring speech that fills your soul with hope...THAT is the product of the cycle, and that is the aspect that flow itself is rooted in.

[Sword of Legend]

Flow – A Clouded Mirror



Reaching this state alters your perception of battle, and of life itself, that is something that is clear. You know the kind of people that subconsciously have a grip on the nature of flow, fellow soldiers who become different people during combat. A more savage, dark, maybe even sadistic in nature, the thrill of battle is something that brings out our basest desires and personality. The *entity* is a part of yourself and at the same time, separate from yourself. Naturally we isolate the darkest parts of ourselves, sometimes even things that aren’t so dark, but something we wish to bury in the deepest recess of our minds. To understand the nature of your fate, of this waltz...you have to truly understand who you are.



Flow is the bridge that brings these two together.



There are many contradictory aspects of the nature of this form, and it starts with Flow. A Dyad of concepts, one that are opposite and yet simultaneously the same, two sides of the same coin. Intergrations, mastering the Id and allowing it to join your conscious thought to reach a state of Lucidity, a Perfect form of Flow. It’s easy to claim that all it takes is meditation, but it does not, it’s not enough to just think and focus to a point that you believe that you have integrated your Id. There are layers of physical, psychological and spiritual alignments that need to take place to reach that sweet spot. It starts with mental, as stated in an earlier session, the Id is your subconscious self, it possesses its own flow of energy and even mana to acknowledge it is to allow it to occupy the same space as your conscious mind.



To entangle your energies leaves your body in a state of disarray. How you align your energies in synch is not something that has an ultimate method, each person will experience that unification in a different way. Meditation, a crisis that triggers the event, maybe even a breakdown...it isn’t set, but it is something that MUST be done to reach a flow that changes the very make up of your body....at the point you would be ready.

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[SoL - Lore]

Flow – Equanimity



This has been reiterated throughout this manuscript, it is something that is integral to understanding this form and will be referenced multiple times. Without it, it is impossible to truly weave through threads of fate without entangling yourself....



To acknowledge yourself, will allow you to focus in the perspective of your target, this is the MOST important factor to take into account. How do you see your strikes? How do they see your movements? Without a grasp of flow, all they will see is erratic movement, but in your mind, you will have perfect focus, perfect balance between offense and defense....an equanimity of battle.



Balance, while platitudinous to say is the most important factor for a majority of forms or magics are tasks that you will learn. In this case, a balance between your Id and your Conscious thought, between movement and calm, between offense and defense. Training to this point requires something very simple, allowing yourself to be mindful. It’s ironic, an earlier lesson stress on losing one’s self, but in the same section it states being mindful. If you remember, this form is a form of unifying contradictions and creating an impossible dance of balance. Mind fullness and nothingness, to simply be, you must allow yourself to believe that you can simply just be...

[Sword of Legend]

Movement – Tempo



With the concept of flow in hand, the more physical aspects of the form can be explored. The most important is movement, while speed is the lynchpin to this form, we are going to start with how the battle shifts with movement.



There is an ebb and flow to battle, one person will get the upper hand and control the pace of the battle, forcing an opponent to make a mistake to solidify their position as the conductor of the waltz. The most beautiful of dances and movements come from the ability never lose your position as the lead. How do you ensure that you take and keep the lead?



Tempo: the rate or speed of motion or activity, forcing your opponent to physical move as fast as you do. The first way is obvious, invading their physical space. Every magi has a range of space that there can optimally cast their spells or use their techniques. Fate’s Waltz is first and foremost a CLOSE QUARTERS FORM, weaving through the field like a dance through the threads of fate, weaving them in your favor. Invading their spell space will do a few things

----The First is a guarantee that you are in range to be countered

---- The Second is that you force them to react to reestablish their comfort space

---- The Third would be to establish that your comfort space is at close range.



How hard you are countered will be determined by if you are to slow do avoid the blow. How quickly you can take advantage putting them off their balance will be determined by how fast you move. What they do to take advantage of the point-blank nature of the fighting style will be determined by theirs and how quickly they can recover from the initial blow.



Strike first, if you are playing chess, you always want to be white.

[SoL - Lore]

Movement – Momentum



A consistent stream of attacks is the first thing that one will think of when it comes to combat. Picking up your pace and moving faster and faster until an apex is reached, at that point at your best performance until you fail are succeed. Moment is more than just rolling down a hill and picking up speed.



Momentum shifts the tide of who can maintain the lead during the dance, who can control the pace, it all starts with that initial contact. Momentum has to be maintained consistently, not just with the flow of battle, but with the flow of your energy. As your persistence increases, as will your opponent's reaction to your pressure. Using that energy to continue your flow will slow down your momentum's acceleration rate, but will allow you to keep it longer, making your peak larger.



That being said, our *peak* is less of a peak but a continuous gradual rise, allowing the flow of energy will maintain that rise until you are felled or they are felled. That moment is maintained by the cycle, feeding the fire with more and more pressure. Occupy their space and limit their options, find their weakness and force them to defend it.... allowing even more vital points to be exposed and finish the job.

[Sword of Legend]

Movement – Stability



As we begin to work on movement, we will reach a point where our control over our speed will have us become a bit...overzealous strikes. Reaching a place where we can occupy as much space as we need so freely can leave us vulnerable through our over confidence. Remember, controlling the combat space also allows us room to maneuver and recover without threat of retaliation.



Stability, allowing time to regain focus and rest the flow of energy and reestablish momentum. In a perfect world we will never have to reestablish our set play, but in reality, you will face opponents capable of putting YOU off balance. Responding well requires knowledge of their movement, creating enough space between you and your target is important. That being said, the space needs to float in between a place where you can still keep their space off balance. Where that is, is going to depend on the kind of range your opponent is comfortable with. Floating in and out of that range allows you to bait their attacks, giving you more time to recover and move in between that space and reestablish the tempo.



At no point should you stop moving, if you stop.... you are vulnerable, ALWAYS MOVE

[Sword of Legend]

Movement – Capriciousness



This concept is a little contradictory to the other topics we have discussed. Keeping tempo and movement and flow requires a bit of repetitious thought, but in reality, repeating patterns will allow your opponent to learn them and take advantage of any flaws in your pattern.



Being capricious is important, keeping the off-balance be shifting and changing direction is important but there is an effective way to do so. It is easy to telegraph an upcoming shift in tempo or direction; you have to use very subtle feints. Feinting that you will change direction so that you can condition them to respond a certain way. THAT is how you create the illusion of being erratic, and then completely overturn any semblance of a pattern they think that you have.



This will give you more opportunities to reduce the amount of time you have to spend on reestablishing control over the tempo of the battle. Shifting your body in the opposite direction that you're going to move is a smart way to trick your opponent to respond a certain way, your body language has to lie to them. A good combatant will see this coming, they will be looking for anything that will give them the edge, so feeding them *false* openings allow you to create guaranteed counters. Feinting, shifts in direction and even fighting style helps with this form. The sound of the song changes in seconds and so do the tempo of the Waltz.



To them, it will seem wild and erratic...but to us it is calculated and precise.