Cillian’s stance was different from the last two bouts. He was crouched over, with his hands low near his stomach. The pain from the kick that Ravel delivered was still aching. By positioning himself in this way, Cillian could reduce that pain slightly. He nodded at Ravel.
Ravel waited for a bit, expecting another reckless charge from Cillian. However, when that didn’t happen, he started to slowly circle around Cillian.
Cillian mirrored his opponent’s path so that Ravel was always directly in line with him. The sting in his stomach was slowly spreading up to his chest. His body was cramping from the unfamiliar circumstance it was in. Cillian didn’t want to make any sudden moves. He didn’t know if he could. He had no plan and didn’t know how to stop this bout from ending like the others. But he still stood in front of his opponent.
I can’t back down.
Ravel edged closer and Cillian responded by moving back. Without any notice, the tabaxi dashed forward and launched a powerful straight front kick.
Cillian dodged directly backward, barely avoiding the outstretched paw.
Ravel immediately chained into a round kick. He swiveled in one leg and aimed the length of the other leg at Cillian’s body.
Cillian attempted to dodge again, but his backward momentum wasn’t nearly as fast as his opponent's forward energy. His hands were already low, so when he dropped them lower to block he felt the successful feeling of shin against his elbows.
Cillian anticipated another attack, but when one didn’t happen he realized he had instinctively grabbed Ravel’s leg. Exhilaration flooded throughout him, and he threw a few short punches to his opponent's head while still holding the entrapped limb.
Ravel raised his arms, blocking the punches, and did his best to push away while trying to fight his leg back.
In his excitement to land a meaningful blow, Cillian’s grip around the leg loosened. It was tucked between his elbow and armpit. Each successive punch he threw pushed Ravel back more and more until the furry paw came free.
The sudden loss of his advantage made Cillian lose his focus for a moment. He dropped his hands slightly, and nothing stopped Ravel’s fist from sending Cillian crashing into the snowy ground for the third time.
***
The sky was a mix of orange and pink as the sun was finishing its last hour above the horizon. It was colder now, but that didn’t bother Cillian.
He was sweating profusely and his breathing created large clouds of steam. Cillian was punching and kicking the air. After his morning training, Tygus had taken Cillian out and taught him basic strikes.
Now, Cillian was trying to practice everything he learned. His punches were awkward and his lack of flexibility made every kick off balance. At first, tried to keep count of the number of moves he threw, but It had been hours since he lost track.
“You’ve been out here for some time,”
Cillian recognized his sparring partner's voice instantly.
He was holding a plate of diced potatoes and his fur was settled, compared to its earlier ruffled post-combat state.
“I’ve brought you an offering,” Ravel said, raising the plate up.
Cillian stopped his practice and took the plate.
“I’m so hungry. Thank you, Ravel,” Cillian said as he sat down against a tree. The cold snow dampened his clothes, but he didn’t care; he was too busy digging into the potatoes.
“How are they?” Ravel asked as he sat down, cross-legged, beside Cillian.
Royal Road is the home of this novel. Visit there to read the original and support the author.
“Good,” Cillian mumbled with a full mouth.
Ravel chuckled, then spoke, "I had a feeling you would like them. I found some dried rosemary and thyme in the cellar, so I thought I’d whip together something for you.”
Cillian didn’t respond, he was still cramming his mouth full, but he could taste the herbs after they were mentioned.
“Please forgive me for what happened earlier today,” Ravel said with a sigh. “I never meant to hurt you.”
Cillian touched his mouth. The final blow that put him down had also busted his lip open. It bled quite a bit, but at present, the blood had coagulated and the scab was forming.
“Oh no, don’t be sorry,” Cillian said with a hint of embarrassment. “I know we were just training. You didn’t mean to hurt me.”
“Yes, I guess I misjudged my own power. You did well Sir Cillian. I was quite surprised when you caught my leg. That was a very good move,” Ravel replied.
“It wasn’t that great,” Cillian pouted. “I didn’t do much with it.”
“It’s okay, you’re still learning,” said Ravel. “No one expects you to be an expert on your first day.”
“I guess. I just thought I would be better,” Cillian sighed. “You know, I would always dream of going out and becoming an adventurer. Gaining levels and traveling through the entire realm of Maneza. I thought, that if I could give it my all, I would become the best. I used my responsibility of taking care of Amalea to throw that dream away. But now that I have a chance, I’m not so sure anymore.”
“I remember that feeling. The burning desire to pursue greatness. I used to have it too,” Ravel said.
“What happened to it?” Cillian asked.
“I still have it. Like a deep wound, once it inflicts you it leaves a scar on your soul. You can try and hide it, but it’s always there. I don’t think it ever goes away,” Ravel wasn’t speaking to Cillian as much as he was speaking to the sky.
Cillian unconsciously was rubbing the burn mark on his wrist.
“But where I come from, honor is more important,” Ravel continued. “I am bound to Master Dronbar and as such, I must quell my own personal desires.”
“Do you ever wish you weren’t?” Cillian asked.
“No. I dare not be ungrateful. The gods destined my life would be spared that day. For that, and every moment I live further, I am grateful. My struggle is now for something greater than me, and that is something I can be content with,” Ravel gave a small smile to Cillian. “You too are fighting for more than yourself, Sir Cillian.”
“But doesn’t that scare you? That someone is counting on you? That if you fail, you won’t just fail yourself, but fail them too?” Cillian asked in a hushed voice.
“Yes. But you have spent your entire life as a caretaker, a protector. Has that fear ever stopped you before?” Ravel asked.
“No, it never has,” said Cillian.
“So why should it now? Sir Cillian, your fear is rooted in the fear of the unknown. Your entire reality has been upended. You may not be striving to save the world, but you are striving to save your world,” Ravel had locked eyes with Cillian. “Yet here you are. Working tirelessly to get it all back. You are strong.”
The two sat together in silence for some time. Cillian was still filling his mouth with the steamed potatoes.
“I know you may doubt yourself. But just think about what you’ve accomplished so far. You’ve survived an encounter with the Black Empire and Master’s test,” Ravel interrupted himself with a chuckle. “When I heard the story of your escapades, I must say I was quite shocked.”
“Really?” Cillian smiled.
“Yes! Traveling nude through a river in the midst of the winter, carrying a nymph all the way down a mountain, and that,” Ravel was on the brink of full-on laughter. “That trap you set for the troll. Very resourceful.”
Both of them were laughing.
“I don’t think I could have done any of that. I would have turned back after I saw that river. I am not particularly fond of the water,” Ravel said as he tried to calm his laughter.
“There was something else strange that happened while I was up there,” Cillian said. “I didn’t mention it to you or Mr. Dronbar, but I have been thinking about it ever since.”
“What is it?” asked Ravel.
“Well, on the mountain I saw a massive jump of two whole points in my spirit,” Cillian said.
“That is quite a large change,”
“I don’t know when it happened. If it was on the mountain or if it happened before that. At first, I thought it was a fluke, but I have checked every night and it's stayed consistent. A consistent eight.”
“Ah, I see,” Ravel said. “I am an Unleveled like you, Sir Cillian. But I have spent quite some time around those with the power. So I think I may be able to offer some type of explanation.”
----------------------------------------
[https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/981697635591290970/1012504327111323748/Nathanbro_sunset_in_a_snowy_forest_fd92e786-cc75-4cb2-8b4b-56fc5a0ba72f.png]
Sunset