| “ | ""Never retreat backward. No attack opens when a man allows himself to be pushed backward. Use their force to create new angles. Flow around him. The Willow Way. Pretty, fluid, like a spring song in defense, then lashing and horrible as the branches of a willow in deep winter as glacial winds scream down from the mountains." | ” |
— Golden Son, Chapter 12
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The Willow Way is a fighting style created and popularized by Lorn au Arcos. It is described both as a style of kravat and as a style of razor fighting. It draws heavily upon natural imagery and has an emphasis on fighting fluidly and reactively against an opponent, often using their own movements and attacks against them.
In Iron Gold, Lysander describes a breathing style linked to the Willow Way in which he takes four distinct breaths each linked to a different season.
Known Stances and Attacks[]
Falling Leaf: Described by Lysander when Alexandar uses it during their confrontation near the end of Dark Age. The Falling Leaf is described as a complicated strike consisting of a downward slash in a corkscrew movement.
Root Cutter Stance: Described by Darrow when Ajax uses it during the prologue of Dark Age.
Snapping Branch Gambit: Described by Lysander when Cassius uses it dueling at the Bleeding Place during Iron Gold. During the Snapping Branch Gambit, the user allows the enemy to land a whip-form Razor attack on their arm, then uses the enemy Razor to pull the enemy towards them, springing forward to attack at the same time.
Summer Hold: Described by Lysander when Cassius uses it dueling at the Bleeding Place during Iron Gold. In the Summer Hold, Both Razor and Aegis are held close to the body.
Weeping Noose: Described by Lysander when he uses it to fight off Ajax’s assassins in Dark Age. Lysander calls it the “coup de grace” of the Willow Way. The Weeping Noose consists of wrapping one’s Razor in whip-form around the opponent’s ankles, then activating its rigid form to cut off the feet.
Winter Stance: Described by Darrow when Aja uses it during her battle with Cassius, Darrow, and Virginia at the end of Morning Star. In the Winter Stance, the Razor is held upright and away from the body as one might hold a torch. One foot is placed in front of the other with the knees slightly bent.
Winter Whirlwind Stance: Described by Lysander when he uses it to fight off Ajax’s assassins in Dark Age. Likely related to the Winter Stance but no further information is given.