My father and his companions approached with a firm stride. I felt my lips form a smile. Finally, I would receive my own weapon.
"Ziom," my father said, his voice devoid of emotion, "your performance with the instructor was... interesting. However, your handling of the weapon you chose leaves much to be desired. It is not much different from the clumsiness of a Carlusa monkey." Father's words dampened my spirits, and I could see many of those present trying to stifle their laughter.
"Father," I responded, trying to maintain my composure, "isn't it excessive to compare me to a beast known for its brutality? I've only been training for less than two weeks." Carlusa monkeys, native to the coastal forests, are infamous for their territorial aggression and tendency to attack using wooden sticks without hesitation, even against stronger enemies, though this always ends in their death.
"Then surpass yourself," he said before gesturing to one of his knights to hand him something. The one who handed it over was Zerlar, the knight who almost always accompanies Father. The first time I saw him, I was surprised to notice that this man had hair of an unusual sky-blue color, a shade I had never seen naturally on anyone in my previous world.
Zerlar handed Father the halberd wrapped in cloth. With deliberate movements, Father began to unwrap the cloth, revealing a weapon that took my breath away. The halberd had a majestic appearance, it was of an intense black color, except for the top where the spear point and the larger blade were, which had a reddish hue.
When Father held it, he examined it a bit before making a slight movement with it using one of his hands.
CRACK!
The ground cracked under the force of the impact, and fragments of stone flew into the air. The sound echoed throughout the place, a stark reminder of the power that weapon possessed in the right hands. I stood still, aware that this simple gesture had not only shattered the ground but also any doubt about the potency of the halberd and Father's strength.
The echo of the impact slowly faded, leaving a silence filled with astonishment in my siblings and, in my case, a mix of admiration and anticipation. Father's demonstration had been brief, he didn't even seem to use much force, but still left a crack about two meters long.
It was a truly impactful demonstration. Will I be able to do the same if I keep training? No, for a moment I got angry with myself for having that thought, I need to change my mindset. Father didn't use much force, so I can't try to be mediocre and settle for just having a bit of strength. I have to surpass Father.
"Ziom, this is your reward for successfully forming a contract with a wolf. You may not be able to use it well, just like your siblings when they were your age, so you must become stronger to protect our territory, our subjects, and our family." Father said with a solemn voice.
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I nodded with determination. "I will, Father. I won't disappoint you."
With a deep breath, I extended my hands and felt the weight, which was overwhelming at first, but I forced myself to hold and balance it. I felt my muscles tense under the load, but I also felt a strange connection with the weapon, as if it responded to my effort. I noticed the texture of the polished wood in my hands and the cold metal, while an unknown energy seemed to flow between the halberd and me.
But due to accumulated fatigue, my hands began to tremble slightly under the weight of the halberd, but I forced myself to keep them steady. I knew showing weakness at this moment was not an option, so I tried to prop it up to only have to prevent it from falling.
"Well done, Ziom," Father said with a slight smile, the first I'd seen in a long time.
The relief of hearing those words was immense. After struggling with Gedric for so long, my body was exhausted and every muscle ached. My siblings and the knights applauded, and Mother approached to give me a hug. "I'm very proud of you, Ziom. You've taken a big step today." I almost dropped the halberd, but luckily that didn't happen.
I looked at Mother and nodded, feeling a mix of exhaustion and satisfaction. "Thank you, Mother. I'll do my best."
"Ziom, rest for now. At dinner time, your uncles and cousins will come. They are your age, so it will be good for you to meet them." After saying those last words, Father left with Mother and the knights, including Gedric.
My brother approached and started ruffling my hair with his hand.
"Ziom, you were amazing. How about I teach you spear techniques later? Although our weapons are not exactly the same, they have many similarities in terms of piercing attacks." Riun had a warm smile.
"Of course, but it will be for later," I replied, feeling a spark of excitement despite the fatigue.
"Ziom, can I hold your halberd?" Asli asked, to which I nodded, curious to see how he would handle it.
I let him take it and Asli started using it with ease.
"It's quite impressive, but I still think my bow is the best weapon among all the ones Father has given us."
"By the way, Ziom, you've never seen our weapons. Do you want to take a look at them later?" Aiza commented while watching Asli handle the halberd.
"Yes, I'd love to." I'm curious to see what my siblings' weapons look like. So far, all I know is that Riun's main weapon is the spear, like Father, Asli's is the bow, and Aiza's I'm not sure which one she uses, so I'm a bit curious.
"Well, see you later," my brother said before leaving with my sisters in separate directions.
I looked at the halberd and felt a bit down. Just thinking about having to carry it to my room with my fatigued body was very annoying, but I had no other choice.
"Young Lord," Marcy approached and smiled at me. "You did very well. I'm sure you'll become a great warrior."
"Thank you, Marcy," I replied, returning her smile. "With your support and my family's, I have no doubts."
"By the way, I want to go to my room to rest and read a book, so I want you to find Arctic Sky and bring it to my room."
"As you wish, young Lord. But let me accompany you to your room first."
"Alright."
When we left the training field and were halfway to my room, I was tempted to use [Spectator's Eye] on my halberd, but it would only be a waste. Besides, I've been very curious about how it will work on people. I was going to try using it during one of the meals with my family, but I felt it would be better to use it on different people, and during meals only Father, Mother, and my siblings are there. But now that my uncles are coming, I can take the opportunity to see their information.
Before I knew it, I had already arrived at my room.