Chapter 192 - Gergusser (1/2)
”Shall we start with your training?” a few hours had gone by. News about Arda's alliance with Oxshield sped slowly. A few individuals spread said news as a rumor. Coming out right away would have caused too much of an uproar. With it being just a rumor, the ones responsible could sit atop and study the reaction. For most people, many were angry at first, lashing out and swearing. Despite it being a rumor, many thought it was serious. Those who lashed out were drunken, the wise chose to remain silent and study from the sideline.
That burden fell onto branches that monitored and helped with what the populous needed. Simple atop but complex underneath, Arda's rule could not have been any more complex. Details of which many remain secret for it was unnecessary for the public to know.
”Yes,” dressed in a leather bodysuit, with a small chest piece and leggings – Eira stood. The sword given to her went along perfectly with her hair and body. ”What about you?” they stood in a small training ground – one used by Staxius so many months ago. One that the Protector had access to.
”Well,” he sighed, the tone gloomy, both stood in the middle, ”-I broke the first rule of being a swordsman. One must always keep their blade and never do harm for it's thy soul that one wields. Tis was what my father taught me anyways.” Each word he said was captured instantly by Eira's photographic memory, she forgot nothing – a blessing and a curse. ”Nevertheless,” the tone semi-serious, ”-exception can be made to that rule. Tis but a way to keep swordsmen from not letting their blade getting blunt.”
”I get that,” she interjected, ”-how does that relate to us now?” she asked.
”What it comes to is this, one who chooses the way of the sword must be strict and never abandoned the weapon. What I did was a sacrilege, I broke my blade without a second thought – to which I must atone by not wielding another sword ever again,” the voice serious and eyes blank.
”Surely you jest,” Eira took a step back, to not wield a sword again, what sort of joke was this, the mind wandered.
”I'm pulling your leg,” he chuckled.
”Come on,” she sighed in disappointment.
”Never forget those words, it may be a joke right now, but out in the field – if the weapon breaks, you become worthless to both thy side and the opposition.”
”Are you going to teach me without fighting, what about our spar?” the voice sharp and unforgiving.
”You've sure grown a temper,” he pointed out, ”-what happened to being cool and composed, aren't you the ice-princess?” he teased.
”You got me there,” her stance relaxed, all that small talk wasn't without purpose.
”Much better,” he smiled. ”-the rigid and stressed stance is now gone.”
”Were you trying to get me to loosen up?”
”Who knows,” the eyes changed into one serious, the hair levitated, it untied itself from the ponytail. ”Either way, you better show me what you got,” a smirk later, ”-I'll brandish a sword if you can put a scratch on me.”
”Don't underestimate me, father,” her eyes went from red to blue in an instant, without incantation, ice-spears manifested and hovered behind. She immediately took the lightning-strike stance, shadow variant. Not even a second went by, the sword unsheathed with the aim directed at Staxius's neck. Even a trained fighter would have had a hard time evading, much less blocking. Alyson's technique truly was a thing of wonder.
”Good effort,” to him, all that felt slow and sluggish. An effortless sidestep sufficed to get out of the way.
”Not yet,” she called, the ice-spears weren't there any longer. Immediately, he got down onto the knee, the spears shattered into the wall in front. ”You've certainly grown,” he complimented to which, her eyes never left her opponent. From a barrage of ice-based attack combined with a very good sword technique – it took him by surprise just how much the girl had grown. The eyes were filled without doubt, her control over her magical element was scarily good. Naming her a prodigy would not have been far from the mark – however, it would but disclaim all the work put in.
*Huff, Puff,* she panted, sweat dripped but froze, and icy-cold mist came from her body. From her chest outwards, it was frozen, the feet were vailed by a black mist. Eira wielded both Ice and Shadow – one offensive and one defensive. It was a common misconception by many, as strong as the ice was – it sure gave a good defense but tis was at attacking where it shined. The Shadow element perfectly suited disrupting a person's vision, creating diversions and personal enhancements.
”I'm not done yet,” the fighting spirit remained, *Ice-element: Gergusser,* the temperature dropped, a dragon manifested itself above her back, it looked impressive but not fully formed. A single slash sufficed, the beast on her back followed the path laid by the sword. A beam of dense and pure ice shot out – the devastation sent tremors throughout the floor. All of the power converged into one single point, Staxius's location.
”Weak,” a voice echoed. At full force, Eira gave it her all, a move she had been working on secretly behind the scene – a move strong but unpolished.
”Weak…” she could not believe it, ”-even with all that,” her eyes opened wide, the stance faltered, fatigue took over. ”Who cares,” not wanting to give up yet, the intensity of the beam grew, it froze the entire room.
”You managed to cut me,” he voiced, *Blood-Arts: Crimson Threads.* A tiny cut on his face, one that didn't give much blood. It only but made a single line, a line that held Eira's unplanned attack, a single thread that blocked the assault and remained unhinged.
”You've improved,” he vanished, ”-good to see that the training wasn't in vain,” the voice came from behind, ”-sadly, this battle is over.” That same tiny thread of blood poked at her neck.
”What about holding back against your daughter,” her body let loose.
”Jeez,” he caught her, ”-you sure are reckless,” he smiled.
”H-how was i-it,” she asked, fatigue slowly faded, Staxius transferred over some of his mana. ”With that skill level, you've gone beyond my expectation,” words of encouragement to not break the spirit.