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Thread: Chapter 3: Arrogance - The Unwavering Path to Humility

  1. #1

    Default Chapter 3: Arrogance - The Unwavering Path to Humility



    Many days have passed since my slow start in New Trismus, slaying maggots and gruoks in the small town. My trainer has taught me several new skills and attacks, and I was certain to employ them in as many battles as possible. As I was about to head out on my next assignment, she asked me to come with her for a moment. We walked down a beaten path for a few moments until we came to a small forge with several people hard at work. She called to a young man standing over an anvil and asked if he would take the time to create a new sword for me. Unfortunately, he wasn?t skilled in that particular task, but pointed to a rack where a previous Blacksmith had discarded some of their earlier experiments. She sifted through the swords, looking for one that was stronger than the small training blade I had, yet not so cumbersome that I would have trouble wielding it. She finally came across a bronze two handed sword. While my childhood training was with two handed swords, my time here was spent learning with a short one hander. I hesitated before taking the blade, and she told me that a warrior must learn to adapt to whatever weapon they can find. Life on the training island is easy in comparison to what lie in wait for me. My weapon of choice may not always be available, and I will need to learn to use whatever I can grab, and as effectively as possible.

    The reality of her words shook me from my comfortable and almost playful state that I found myself in. My head was held down, looking at the blade in her hand. Before I had time to react, I felt a hit on the top of my head. I looked up, obviously startled, only to realize that it was my trainer who thumped me.

    ?You can?t win a battle with your head looking at the ground. Pay attention and look forward. You are in a war, just because you?re on this island doesn?t mean that the Aegis won?t come and attack. When a weapon is handed to you, don?t hesitate?just take it and fight.?

    I was shocked. I had never been scolded by her before and I didn?t understand where this was coming from. Not only that, but she did it in front of all of these people. I wanted to reach for the sword, but I was still in a state of confusion from what was going on. She paused, and then dropped the blade on the ground in front of me. She looked at me with disappointment. ?You?re not ready, Carinde. Had this been a fight and I was handing you a weapon, we?d both be dead by now. Leave this sword alone and let?s head back. Continue your training with the maggots and that small training knife, because you have a long way to go before you can do anything else.? She walked by me and left the area.

    Still stunned by her actions, I stood there, just staring. I began to look around at the people surrounding me, and all of them stared back. Silence had engulfed the room. The faces of the people were covered in soot from the work they had been doing all day. Hands were cut and calloused from the handling of the smelting tongs and smithing hammers. Why was I just standing here looking around? What am I looking for in this room? My obvious embarrassment took over and I walked out. I kept my head up as I left the forge and headed back to town. I didn?t dare go to my trainer; instead I just walked around the town. As I walked around, I looked at the various townsfolk. There were people standing in open areas, swinging their swords and mauls to get used to the weight of these massive weapons. Others were gathered around discussing strategies for their next raid. Some were being carried in from a training mission gone horribly wrong. Not me?I was walking around looking lost. For weeks I had lost myself in the ?fun? of fighting these creatures, and had forgotten what I was really here to do. I headed back to the hillside where I had my encounter with the raging gruok from before, and sat down. For hours I reflected on things I had done since my arrival. I thought back even further to the attack on Selen. What would?ve happened had Mother and Father hesitated during those battles? Had he paused to find a better suited weapon, would he have been victorious, or would it have been even worse?

    My trainer?s words echoed in my head: ??you?re not ready?you have a long way to go?? I had to prove her wrong. I had to show that I was ready for anything she gave me, and that I was really learning from her instruction. Nightfall had finally come, and I rose to my feet. With a new determination, I made my way back to the blacksmith shop. The smiths there remembered me from earlier, and one of them still had the very sword that I hesitated to pick up resting on a rack. I offered the coin that I had been saving up, but the smith politely refused and motioned for me to just take it and be on my way. I thanked him and headed back to the hillside.

    Holding the sword as firmly as I could, I flung it above my head. Its weight instantly took me off balance and I started to fall backwards. I quickly changed my footing and caught myself. Regaining my composure, I lifted the sword again, carefully this time. I had to get used to this first. Running out into a fight would almost certainly spell defeat for me. I practiced slashes, lunges, jumping attacks, anything I could think of. The more advanced techniques that I learned had to be adjusted to compensate for this new sword?s size. I thought of different ways to perform my attacks, and also had to rely more on parrying with a weapon than blocking with a shield. This would take time, but I was determined. I would not embarrass myself again, or let my trainer down. I continued my training well into the night, standing alone on the hill. Finally, I headed back to town and grabbed the blanket that I had purchased from a pawn broker. I got out of my armor and wrapped up in the worn blanket, and fell fast asleep.

    The next day, I finally gathered the courage to head to my trainer?s area. She was talking to another trainer about the progress of each others? students, and I stood silently beside her. When she turned to face me, I drew my new sword and stuck it into the ground. ?I?m ready.?

    She looked me in the eyes. ?Are you now? You take a sword and stick it into the ground and you believe that makes you ready, eh??

    I could tell she was trying to shake my confidence, but I was determined to let her know that I wasn?t going to back down. She silently challenged me yesterday when she dropped that sword, and I accepted. I had to see this through. ?I?ve been practicing all night, and I am ready. Give me a task, and I?ll prove it to you.?

    She didn?t think I?d do it. That I?d actually confront her with the sword she dropped. Ha, now I had her fumbling for what to do next. She stood still a moment, and then looked at other trainer. They caught eyes and a smirk was shared between them. What are they thinking? They must have some special task set aside that they?re going to try to test me with. Fine, let them conjure up whatever task they wish. I?ll gladly take it and come back a winner. She then told me to come with her, once again. We walked away from the town and all of the people, until everything that resembled civilization faded in the distance.

    With her back to me, she asked, ?Why do you have that sword? Is it because you don?t want to be embarrassed anymore, or do you really want to learn to use it??

    Calmly, I said, ?I want to learn to use this sword. I?ve been practicing my techniques, and I?m ready to show them to you.? The reality was that I didn?t want to be embarrassed. I was comfortable with my short sword, and knew that taking up a new weapon would almost certainly mean starting from the beginning with training. But, I just couldn?t let her know that. I had to get beyond that comfort and show her that I could do it. There was no other way to get around it.

    She turned to me. ?I see. Well, your actions will show me more than what your words will ever tell. Let?s see just how much you ?really? want to learn.?

    This is it. Now she?ll give me that task. I stood firmly, waiting for her instruction. Instead of words, she rushed me. The distance between us closed like a slamming door and in an instant, she was right in my face. I reached for my sword, but she kicked me in the stomach and I dropped to one knee. What the hell? My trainer?s attacking me? Is this what that grin was about between the two earlier? I tried to stand, but she spun around and hit me in the head with the back of her hand. Knocking me to the side, she took a small step back. Thinking she was going to let me get up, she used that distance to swing her leg into my stomach again.

    She continued to attack me. I kept trying to stand, but she?d knock me right back down. She was attacking both my body and my hearing while she yelled, ?Come on Carinde, I thought you were ready? Is this what being ready is to you?! You don?t really think practicing on an empty hillside is doing you any good do you? Please tell me you don?t expect the Aegis to cut you some slack because you fall on the ground. Now get up!?

    I could tell that she wasn?t going to stop her relentless battering. I was done for if I didn?t get up and fight back. I thought she brought me out here to watch me show off my moves, but she brought me here to fight. I had to stop thinking about what was happening and just react to it. I subconsciously put myself in the fetal position, trying to block as much of what she was dishing out as I could, but that was only making matters worse. The less I fought back, the harder she hit. There was no sympathy in this fight; trainer or no; she was fighting to take me down. My only choice was to fight or give up, but I told myself I won?t let her or myself down again. I had to stand?I had to fight. Her attacks were extremely fast and I couldn?t get in a positionto block while still on the ground. She kicked at my stomach and I opened my arms. I knew she would hit me, but I had to make an opening somehow. Her foot connected just as I thought, and the pain was immense. However, instead of just curling up again, I grabbed herankle and held it close. Now I had her, but I knew it was only for a moment before she thought of another attack. Regardless, she had to adjust, and that was my opening. I rolled away from her, still holding on to her foot. Her stance widened until she began to lose balance, then I rolled towards her again. I got on my feet while keeping her leg in my grip, then threw it to one side so her back was to me. Anger rushed through me as I withdrew my sword and went on the offensive. She wanted a fight, now she?s going to get one.
    Carinde "Demigoddess" Ryder
    Citizen of Order, Axe & Anvil Guild

  2. #2

    Default Re: Chapter 3: Arrogance - The Unwavering Path to Humility

    Ah...
    Keep the stories coming!
    [Y]
    Ular Naga

    Proud "Handy Man" of the -Dark Saga-
    Unity Shard

    "First i followed the light then the blight, but suddenly nature showed me the path to walk"

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