The members of the Mount Ciano Academy, at the top of the hills in the Boilers, were known to almost everyone who lived there. Besides being formally an academy for martial arts, it was also taken into account that its owners were the disreputable family, the Bakers.
The ground made of hard, smooth stone was usually shaky from the morning, late afternoon and evening workouts. The sounds of fighting, the tinkling of steel clashing, the laughter and groans, the Baker's life had changed with the misery of the twenty years that had passed, and with it, the method of protecting themselves and making a living.
- I hope he's just resting - Truman told Wallace. The lout sitting on the wooden bench held a hatchet almost twice his own size, and the skinny Trumam didn't even care to irritate him. - You'll be easy to get past like this.
- A hundred years.
Truman didn't understand.
- Wait another hundred years and you'll get it. - With his head down, Wallace took a deep breath and wiped the sweat from his brow. - If you keep pissing everybody off, you're going to get beaten.
- You're the only one I lose to here. I have mastered the Baker Primary Styles, no one can beat me. - The sword holstered in its scabbard in Trumam's hands swung from side to side, with the boy bored. - I thought you would want to train with me since none of the apprentices like
- I should be smarter. They don't like to train with me because I don't show off.
- Showing off is a way to make a name for yourself.
- If you want to train with someone, ask one of the instructors. I have things to do.
Truman watched him get up and head toward the stone pillar on the other side of the training yard. Isolated, Wallace began to strike his hands in an orderly fashion, without losing focus. He was the tallest of the apprentices, no one surpassed him in strength, technique, and aggressiveness. Truman wanted to test his skill.
Milena, Tito or even Kadu, who had seven to eight years as apprentices had not completely mastered two different fighting styles. Wallace was the only one who earned the respect of the instructors for learning and perfecting three of them.
- To learn three, you need a lot of head to not get lost," instructor Julio always told him. - Do like Wallace and train your body a lot. It takes stamina and a lot of dedication.
"Dedication is for people without talent. If I learned two styles in three years. In ten years, I'll be better than anyone in the Boilers, even than Wallace."
- Class, gather.
The time for shared rest always came after three to four hours of taking turns. Each instructor played a role in assisting the styles and movements. Since the Apprentice Knights ranged from five to seven year old boys and girls, it was recommended that they stay away from the older ones.
The only time they would get together was for shared rest. And when they came together, they took questions as if the older Apprentices themselves were instructors.
Wallace sat in the courtyard, listening to a small boy ask about the attack movements of the Red Roar, and answered simply. Kadu, trained in Closed Defenses, the Second Style, was giving tips to many around him.
Each Baker had a handful of people who helped out in their spare time, minus, of course, Truman.
- You should listen to someone too," Julio said as he passed by. - You can learn a lot from the doubts of the younger ones.
- I don't need to ask questions of anyone.
- I wish my confidence was the same as yours.
Truman waited for another lecture, but the instructor walked towards the entrance, where a person was walking towards them.
- Orion. - The name in a surprised tone drew the attention of the many apprentices and instructors in the courtyard. Julio quickly approached with his hands behind his back. - I didn't expect to see you here.
- Surprised, master?
The man's hand went up in return.
- Please don't call me that anymore. It's been years since I gave up that title. I just teach the young ones.
- Was it the leg?
He moved his lower limb from side to side, gesturing.
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- It still hurts even after all that magic you did to make it go away. But, what happened? Did you come to watch us?
- I came after my spear.
Julio's mouth opened in an 'oh'.
- Are you going to practice again at home?
- Maybe. There are a few things I can't quite remember.
- As if that were possible. - Julio held Orion by the shoulder, smiling. - Master Cassiano still awaits his revenge to this day. He didn't want to come down to his house and face his father. It would be shameful.
- For my father or for Cassiano? - Orion laughed back. - A battle between you and my father would be great to watch.
- Two old men crawling around with guns in their hands. Of course it would. - sneered Julio. - Come on, Cassiano will be relieved to see you. If you allow me, I'd like to talk to you about the Eighth Style, the Three Angles Breath.
- Whenever you like.
Truman watched Julio being polite from beginning to end, and even worse, treating him as if they were long-time friends. But, he had never seen that boy in his entire life. Not even in the last few years that he had been training there.
- Damn, it's Orion," he heard Kadu speak nervously. - Wallace, is it your turn?
The brute smiled broadly. A smile that Truman found appalling.
- At last. - Standing up, he shouted forward. - Orion Baker, you have finally appeared. I have been waiting for many years.
Orion looked at him and nodded.
- Whoa, how are you, Wallace?
- How am I doing? The question is, are you going to face me now or later? - The axe had been raised and the big man was gripping it tightly. - The bet we made ten years ago, you still remember that, don't you?
- How could I forget, I beat you that time.
He defeated Wallace Baker? Truman couldn't believe it. But, seeing from the reaction of Kadu and Tito, who were the same age as the other two, it was true.
- Then it's my turn to fight," he answered loudly. - Take your gun.
- Then. - Orion continued walking in the direction of the only house inhabiting Mount Ciano. - First I'll talk to Master Cassiano. And ask someone to get my spear, please.
Wallace looked at Kadu and the boy nodded.
- I'll get it.
Many were unaware of what was happening around them. But seeing Kadu go to the weapon stand and pick up the tallest spear in the stand, with a long handle and a sharp dark gray blade, made them dizzy.
On the stand, any weapon could be used for training. Daggers that had passed through the hands of great Assassins of the past. Swords whose dormant power had scared away the demons of the East or even the Bows made of linen and silk of the Colossal Spider, a mythological creature.
The Bakers had a collection of ancient weapons whose renown would surpass the collection of any noble family on the continent. However, one weapon could not be touched under any circumstances. And that was the Spear of Low Steel.
Not because it was strong or untouchable, not even because its history was considered the most incredible of all. It was precisely because the only person who used it and perfected the Baker Ten Styles was Orion.
Truman was stunned. So, Orion Baker was the owner of the only weapon that could not be used in training.
- Kadu, Kadu. - He called out until the boy holding the spear noticed him. - Have you ever fought with that Orion?
- Of course I have. We started training around the same time.
- And why didn't anyone mention him before?
- He stopped training eight years ago. He only comes when Mestre Cassiano or Mestre Lidiana want a reference.
- Reference? That guy is only eighteen years old, isn't he? How can a Master ask him for a reference?
- Oh, you don't know, do you? - Kadu giggled together with the other elders. Even Wallace gave a corner smile.
Truman didn't like those idiots laughing at all.
- I don't know what?
- You're going to get irritated for nothing. It's not like you have to know. Here on Mount Ciano, only two people are allowed to come and go as they please. Orion is one of those people.
- And why do you treat him as if he were invincible? - Truman saw nothing different in the boy's posture when he passed. Not even an aggressive instinct. - You can beat him if you know more than one style, can't you?
- Of course you can. - Milena, on the other side, answered. - If you invent five more styles different from the ones that already exist.
- Orion is the only one who knows all ten fighting styles, Truman," Wallace said leaning on his axe. - And no, he has never lost to anyone here on Mount Ciano.
- Not even to the Masters?
- A Master cannot train with a student. It is against the rules.
Ridiculous how someone could be called invincible just because he had never lost. Truman had only lost twice in the three years he had been training on Mount Ciano. And he was always praised by his instructors for his learning speed.
- Don't feel bad," Kadu said after watching him thoughtfully. - Every time he comes here, we train a little and get tips from him.
- He has a very broad view of the styles and knows how to modify them depending on the person," Milena said. - I myself learned to move better after training with him last year when I met him.
- Oh, that's why you got better. - Tito said alarmed. - And I thought I had gained some enlightenment with that footwork. It was Orion.
- Nobody asked anything. - Milena's shoulders went up and down. - Too bad for you.
- And can I ask for a training session with him? - Truman suspended his curiosity and asked. - Does he accept anyone for training?
- It depends on the day. If he is busy or has some project to develop, he just comes and goes.
- Projects? What kind of projects?
- Orion is a Scholastic, like his father. He learned Common Arcanism since he was little too - Kadu said. - He also helped us when we were kids. Any questions, he answered.
- A Scholastic who can fight? - Truman smiled and then laughed out loud for a long time. - How ridiculous. Scholastics stay in their holes, always wanting to find a way to unravel the world. Uhuuu. - He imitated a ghost, laughing. - Great joke.
Kadu, Wallace and Tito stared at Truman and then looked at his back.
- Is being a Scholastic a joke to you? - the voice didn't belong to any of the young men from before. - Do you think it's easy to try to unravel the world, as you say?
Truman turned around. Orion received his spear, staring at him from above. And that lack of aggressiveness he had felt before was gone, replaced by a voracious hunger for battle. The pair of eyes of a beast staring at him, about to pounce.
- Being a Scholastic is a job that anyone can be. - Truman stood up, picking his sword up from the ground. - Fighting battles is for the few.
Orion looked him up and down.
- From your footwork, you know two styles, Light Plume and Red Roar. Which one do you want to learn next? Let me guess, Three Angle Blow?
This is exactly what I had planned.
- How did you know that?
- It's what the average person would do by reading the books, but you can't get to the maximum of your ability if you keep using the heavy Red Roar moves, so when the time comes, and it will come, you'll want to switch to Closed Defenses. You'll like it at first, but you'll get bored because it's not the same as the others. And in the end you will seek help from Master Cassiano, wanting him to teach you how to mix styles. His answer, of course, will be that the only way for a person to mix styles is to understand by himself how they work, and only after much thought and notion, to go back to the basics and start learning again. My tip for you, practice the First Style.
- Loose Stones? - Wallace giggled.
- Are you mocking me? - Those were serious words, with not a hint of humor or debauchery in between, but they were so crisp and clear that they were angering. Back to the first style, after all this time? Never. - I prefer to perfect the two styles I have.
- It is a dumb choice, but still a choice.
- Dumb? Let me show you what it is...
The spear came from below, scratching the ground, sparking. The tip stopped two centimeters from Truman's throat. He swallowed hard, not having had time to draw his weapon from its sheath.
- A thousand years.
- A thousand years?
- Yes. In a thousand years, you can challenge me again.
Truman was unresponsive, but those boys and girls, young as sprouts and seeds, were wetted by the knowledge of Mount Cyanus' most respected apprentice.
- Orion.
The voice came from far away, from the house. The old man in the red robes held his hands in front of his body, waiting patiently.
- Master?
- Leave the boy alone. He meant no harm.
- I know, master. - The spear was slowly lowered. The way Orion held the weapon using his arm and hand at the same time made Truman nervous. He looked like a snake wrapped around a tree branch. - I owe Wallace some training. Can I use the inner courtyard and take the older ones with me?
- Of course, my boy. Of course. - Cassino's smile was broad. Before going back inside, he aimed at him again. - Just don't break anything like last time.
Orion giggled, heading in the direction of the house.
- I told you it was an accident. I didn't mean to.