Sparring

The cloak blew in the wind like some strange construct of his body that he had not yet become familiar with. The teachings of Crazy Kotter had the results of making his armor and Great sword seem as one with his body, but this cloak had not yet formed to him as well as the sword and armor had. The Mourner Queen had told him “This cloak will protect you as long as you wear it.” Protect me from what was what he really didn’t understand. It was this unknown that caused Elias to seek solitude in this strange city of the Mourner. He practiced with his Great sword in an area that he believed would escape attention. His practice quickly turned into a tapestry of rage with the stitching “This cloak will protect you as long as you wear it.”

“I see you have some skill with that sword.” Elias looked around to find a Mourner looking at him with interest. “My kin do not use swords of such weight however you seem to wield it with a speed that our kin come to obtain.” The mourner continued, “My specialty lies in the warrior arts as well, but even I can see that you possess a strange aura about you.”

Elias was a bit surprised by his singular audience however he still managed to introduce himself. “My name is Elias.”

“My name is Dunbar.” The mourner replied with a bow. “I am what your kin would call a weapon master. I have trained many of our warriors.” The Mourner continued “I must say that you possess a freakish strength and you play to that with your moves however in our teachings speed can be just as lethal as strength. Would you like to spar with me?”

Elias found himself welcoming this stranger’s invitation to spar. He felt it was exactly what he needed to let his problems dissolve even if it would be for just a moment. “I would be more than happy to spar with you Dunbar let us make ready.”

The probing blows had all played themselves out on both sides. Elias found himself pitted against an opponent with extreme speed and accuracy that he had to admit surpassed any human ability that he knew of. This stranger’s skill far exceeded his own however Elias could still sense unease within his opponent. The blows continued to come with Dunbar as the aggressor. Swings barely dodged and parried by Elias had the foretelling of his eventual defeat. Elias decided that he would not lose while on the defensive as little of a plan as that was he meant to adhere to it.

Elias started swinging with desperate fury to become the aggressor. Dunbar’s unease vanished completely and his parries were precise and his counterstrikes connected with slaps of pain. No doubt Dunbar was a teacher of his people for his hits came with the flat of his blade. Elias swung his sword with effort through the pain in his shoulder and forearms. Dunbar dodged, stepped forward with sword point placed at Elias’ neck.

“You lost to a foe much more formidable than I cold ever be.” Dunbar said. “You lost to yourself.” Dunbar withdrew his sword and bowed with respect. “No one has ever lasted with so many sword crosses with me. I was getting a bit worried until fear crept into you.

by Ben McCabe