18 Chapter 15: The Principle of Flowing Energy - Part I Focus & Anticipation (1/2)

The First Day of Training.

Arriving at The Martial Novices Guild Amaris let us to their leader waving goodbye as she left me in his care.

Draught bowed calmly and sincerely.

Welcoming Yami and me.

”Welcome young Shadowfang. It pleases me to see you are doing fine. I heard the stories from one of my scouts. You barely survived that struggle didn't you?”

”Yes Guildmaster, survival at a high price, but I earned myself a trusted ally in the end.”

I looked at Yami with relieve, grabbing her hand as Draught continued.”

”As for why you are here... Amaris believes in you, young one. The recommendation of a Guide is one of the utmost importance, which is why we are willing to teach you the basics of Close Combat.

You will be staying here for an entire week during which we will go through the basics of hand to hand combat. Depending on your understanding and growth you might learn more, even gaining abilities. But that all depends on you both.”

Confused Yami looked up as she asked in disbelief;

”The both of us?”

”Did you hear me stutter child? You are sir Shadowfang's trusted partner, ally even... are you not?”

”Y-yes, sir!! Yami will do whatever she can to aid Master!”

Yami answered Hesitant at first but proudly powering through her answer with pride.

”Good... but, before we begin... I need to know what you are my child. You see, I wasn't human by nature either. For I am the mighty Glazial Thunder Tiger.”

Draught said slowly revealing his spirit beast for, ad his human body morphed. Razor-sharp fangs and claws formed, his face turned into a snout as his skin turned into white and black fur.

Yami looked hesitant to Michael not knowing what to do. Michael nodded showing her it was okay. As she breathed in deeply she straightened her composure, slowly turning into a wolf. Horns began to form on the sides of her head as well as fangs and claws.

”Would you look at that, true to the name in any sense. A Shadowfang to the core. You can be proud of such a partner young Shadowfang.

Come to think of it... were there not Dire Wolves Sighted in the fields of the beginning? Might Yami be one of them?”

Draught answered surprised.

”Yes, sir! Michael stopped the rampage of our leader, promoting him to pack leader since that day we are loyal to him and him alone.

Yami even had the pleasure to be named by Master, even granting his family name to one such as myself.”

Yami proudly announced.

”Oh... how fascinating... so you were the boy the Adventurers talked about as of late?

This will make things easier... Young ones, we will start training shortly, if you would follow me, I'll be introducing you to your training partner.”

Walking through the courtyard again huge groups were following instructions training in unison.

Closing in Draught ordered the teacher to stop the training, choosing and calling one of the graduate students to him.

Standing in front of us was a beautiful fighter, a woman with long brown hair, who had a gentle nature to herself. Young ones meet Chiara, she is the one who will teach you the basics. I have seen her in action... and this is her chance to prove to us all that she has what it takes to become a teacher.”

The girl bowed down traditionally as her bright yellow eyes linked with mine.

”You will have a small garden to yourselves for the next seven days. Be sure to follow each and every command she makes, as I trust her judgment more than most. Don't let me down, child...”

As Draught bowed down to take his leave a boy stood up out of the group. Dissatisfied by the decision of the teacher, he closed in on us.

”Master, I beg your forgiveness, but please let me prove that I Ji Xiou am a better fit to teach them. I Ji hereby challenge you Chiara to an affair of honor, putting our pride on the line proofing to all, that men are better than women.”

The teacher wanted to stop disrespectful behavior, but... Draught saw promise in the pupil.”

”Oh... this little one is daring... well then, show us what you both are made off. This is also a fine way to proof the teacher here made the right choice. Clear, the fields!”

Making way for the two, the entire field got cleared. Students on both sides sat down, lighting fires around the area.

”Now, make sure you watch them both, you might learn something young ones.”

Draught said laughing to himself.

As the two took their places on the field, their teacher closed in.

”I will act as referee overseeing your match. Immobilizing or making the opponent forfeit is allowed, but you are not allowed to kill each other, this duel is only allowed only to show off your capable prowess and abilities. I suggest you do so keeping a clean match.”

”Yes, Master!!”

The two students said in unison. Taking their stances readying themselves for battle.

”Begin”

The teacher shouted leaving the field.

As soon as she did, torches lit up the entire courtyard. Ji launched at Chiara. Unfazed she kept her posture. Making the slightest calm movements to dodge Ji's extravagantly huge energy-consuming movements. Hitting nothing but air.

All the while through this, I could have sworn I saw energy emanating from her body... this energy rose from her feet, into the rest of her body. All the way through her hands. Just when I thought she finished collecting energy, at that exact moment, gently moving her palm towards her opponent. A blast of wind like energy went through Ji, blasting him several meters away. Quickly standing up Ji began emanating the same kind of energy.

This time being directed to his feet. Giving off a warm feeling I could have sworn his legs got enveloped by fire. Striking from a distance fire shot towards Chiara.

Trying to repel the thread, moving her arms around a current of air formed around her, this time forming a sphere-like barrier repelling and dispersing the flames. Moving her arms straight down to the ground and up towards the ceiling, twirling around ending towards Ji, again gusts surged towards him.

Trying to repel the gust of wind, Ji formed small blasts of heat around his body as he made them turn and turn to create a current of flames. Before the wind would impact the heat-blasted the gusts to the ground. Unaware of Chiara's intent the gusts formed spheres trapping young Ji.

Jumping towards them Chiara struck them as hard to the ground as she could. Releasing the current inside. Cyclones formed were the sphere previously where.

Turning in the opposite direction of the flame current, completely canceling them out. Now, unable to counter-attack Ji got lifted by the air, leaving him to fall from an immense height. Slamming into the ground, slowly losing his consciousness.

”It's done... now, stay down if you know what's good for you!”

Chiara yelled, lowering her guard.

At that moment Ji rose from the ground, completely enveloped in flames, he murmured something to himself.

”I can't give up, not until I meet you again... Mother!!”

Slowly closing in his form began to gradually change shape. Turning into something demonic of nature.

Losing control, his eyes began glowing white.

It became clear, Ji was no longer with us.

The teacher raised her hands announcing the winner.

The winner of the Affair for Honor is Chiara Shardilla.

At that moment rage overpowered Ji, rushing towards Chiara attacking blindly. Backing away, the teacher and Draught jumped in to stop Ji. Holding him back he finally calmed down. Frustrated by this betrayal he left the guild vowing for revenge.

Draught walked towards us. Apologizing for the rude behavior, his student had displayed.

”My apologies for Ji's behavior, you see he is very passionate and short-tempered. But has his heart in the right place.”

Draught looked at Chiara. Resting his palm on her shoulder he continued to speak.

”As for you Chiara, you have proved your combat prowess as you displayed excellent performance and calm judgment throughout the entirety of the duel.

You are ready to take on your next challenge, students of your own.”

Draught bowed down greeting us all as he left us in Chiara her care. Leading us to the area next to the fields of combat, she introduced herself once more to us.

”My name is Chiara since my teacher and Master Draught wish it so... will I teach you both the basics of combat. Starting off right away, I want you both to tell me what you saw during the duel.”

”Other than the both of you moving at an incredible speed you mean? Well... looking at your fight I could see energy emanating from your body's even from Ji's.”

”Yes, I saw you dodge in place as if you read his energy.”

”Very good, both of you. You both are correct, we emanated energy as this vapored from our bodies.

As I was able to read these it made dodging all the more easy for me. Which is why I will be teaching you the Principal of inner strength. This will both help you to understand the basics, while at the same time conserve and collect energy from around you.”

”Yes, Master!!”

”Michael, since you are the one Amaris requested the training for and since I don't have a clear view of your capabilities, I suggest sparring to find out more about this for today.”

”Getting in the action right away, I like it! Yami, stay back, you can spar against her when we are done.”

”Okay Master, please be careful.”

Getting ready for the sparring match I walked towards the field. Standing in front of me was Chiara.

Already proofing to be a formidable opponent, I was pumped to see what I could learn from her.

”Before we begin Michael, let me tell you what this sparring match is actually for, of course you know I will be examining your combat capabilities. But, there is also something else. I will also look into how much you learned from the previous match, to check how much you will be able to grow within this week.

The same goes for you Yami, so I suggest preparing for when we are done. Now... to begin our sparring match I will give you the first strike, Michael.”

”Begin!”

Taking into account the way Chiara was moving during the last match I was a bit cautious, taking on a defensive stance slowly closing in on her.

Chiara did the same but stayed in place. Taunting me to come.

”The one who strikes first tends to have the advantage of battle!”

I yelled jumping in to strike at her guard.

Just then Chiara shifted stance, enabling her to become offensive. Flowing past my fists she danced around them like water falling from rocks.

I tried to continue my attacks but soon found out that they all got blocked or parried in the same way. Ending her flowing movement what seemed like a dance, she threw us in the air, away from her.

Falling to the ground I got frustrated...

”You are so much stronger than me... I have to carefully consider what to do next.”

”I won't give you time to recover fletching, now it's my turn.”

Chiara said grinning as she rushed towards me.